


Provocations

by J-Bfan (Mysterie), JackfrostTruefrost300



Series: Mortal Guardians [17]
Category: Guardians of Childhood - William Joyce, Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Anal Sex, BoyxBoy, F/M, Family, Fear, Guilt, Love, M/M, Multi, Older!Jamie, Spirit!Jamie, Time Travel, accidental incest/not-quite-incest, cursing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-06
Updated: 2016-06-25
Packaged: 2018-04-30 07:04:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 20
Words: 35,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5154731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mysterie/pseuds/J-Bfan, https://archiveofourown.org/users/JackfrostTruefrost300/pseuds/JackfrostTruefrost300
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Life brings new challenges as one grows and makes their place in life, even with his place in this world secure, Jack and his spouses will face new challenges that come with growing older as spirits and the new adventures of having children who are all grown up... An unexpected threat from the past will appear in the present and leave behind its mark for the future to come.</p><p> </p><p>Sequel to Travail<br/>[17th installment]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Part Unknown

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter is dedicated to my coauthor who has learned to tolerate my artistic temperament and has helped come up with many of the fantastic ideas that you (reader) have been able to read in this series. Happy Birthday Jack.

Jack licks the fillings of a bunch of oreo cookies before looking at the six pairs of concerned eyes.

"What's got sticks up your guys asses? You been watching me all day." Jack says, apparently vulgarity is one of the things Mother Nature spoke of to Mysterie. He glares at the group, the symbols on his skin flashing with his annoyance. Jamie and Andrew share a concerned glance, the children are smart enough to retreat to their respective rooms, being old enough to know now not to anger one of their parents. Mysterie returns and tries to reassure Jamie over the bond that things will be fine... She certainly hopes they will as she slips into the room where Jack is. She has a feeling that she will have to do this quick and without too much forethought or he'd catch on... Jack glares, already sensing that power of hers as she sits by him.

"Don't even think of sealing me away Kari." He says, using her real name meaning he knew things of her like moon did of everyone on the Earth and it had been a long time since Jack had cause to use her real name. She'd been almost certain he'd forgotten it at one point. 

_Shit._ It's all she can think before she tries anyway. Jack expels the power she uses against him to seal him away; Jackson, in all of this, knew it wasn't right and cried out.

**"JACK PLEASE STOP!!"** Jack of course never listens to anyone; Mysterie suddenly felt a sleep spell go over her.

"Just sleep Kari, everything will be fine." Jack's voice is soothing, so much like the one she is use to and she feels the will to sleep is more important than sealing him away. She drops like a rock under the influence, Jamie catches her while staring at Jack with a _WTH?!_ expression on his face. Jack looks at him with a snicker.

"She just fell asleep is all." He says, but the way his body language reads it is an obvious lie. Jack turns away.

"Well I'll see you two later." A warning bell rang inside Mysterie, telling her that Jack was trying to leave and Mother Nature had warned for her to not let him for any reason. Jamie manages to get the impression from Mysterie, despite that she's asleep and he makes sure that there's no way out of the castle... period. He's rather alarmed now and sends the impression that Andrew needs to stay away, and that the children are to do the same. Andrew alerts him when he's in his room; only once he sends to Jamie confirmation, along with affirmations from the other children, does Jamie seal off their rooms too. Jack snickers, a tsking noise coming from his mouth next.

"You finally figured it out didn't you Bennett? Took you long enough, either that or little miss 'I love you' there told you." His eyes flash silver white like the moon.

"You know my little secret now why don't you just let me go... or I'll let myself out; your little barriers can't contain the power of the moon." Jamie stares a moment but shakes his head.  
  
"I might not understand this... but that won't keep me from stopping you... even if I have to earn your ire again..." Jamie **really**  did not want to be forced to do that again, but if he had to... he would. He didn't understand why any of this was happening... or what exactly was... but he wanted Jack back. He quaked a little inside as he met those eyes...

 

 

Jack snickers.

"Oh I'm not like your little puppets, not even Puppetmaster can control me and he knows it." He snickers and Jamie feels a wave of calm and sleep hit him almost instantly; using Jack's normal voice calms him.

"Just sleep it'll be fine. Please Jamie, just take a rest." Jamie yawns, but shakes it off; a slight smile touches his lips.  
  
"Hate to burst your bubble... but that kind of influence doesn't work on me..." Jack's eyes narrow, slitting a bit.

"Prick." He says under his breath before using a moon beam to explode a hole in the side of the castle; try as Jamie might "Jack" was right about him not being able to subdue moon power, but his power wasn't enough to break the barrier outside around the castle.

"It was nice knowing you Bennett." He calls before flying out of the hole only to hit invisible power.

"WHAT NOO!! THIS ISN'T WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!" Jamie realizes he's low on power now and would need to conserve more moon energy to continue destroying the little barrier.

"Sorry... but you need to stay here..." Jamie pours his power into the first barrier to send Jack hurling back into the castle before it mends the hole that had been made. Groaning, "Jack" angrily glares at Jamie.

"Just cause I'm stuck here doesn't mean I will let myself be sealed again. I'm free and intend to keep it that way." He snarls, walking from Jamie to the nearest bedroom and just kicking back like a dick... of course his attitude was not nice at all. Jamie winces, looking down at Mysterie... what is he to do? He sets her on the couch before he pulls out a comm and contacts Sandy...   
  
"Sandy... I need your help... I need you to dust the entire castle with dreamsand... No, no time to explain... once you've done that see if you can't find Mother Nature... Yes this is THAT serious..." Sandy nods and sets to work. "Jack" growls at Jamie.

"Think a little dream sand gonna put me out you're sorely mistaken." Jamie frowns.  
  
"A little... probably not... but the dosage I'm sure Sandy will use will suffice..." In the meantime he tries to rouse Mysterie; Yawning, "Jack" realizes the sand is working as Sandy has doused the entire home; shaking his head he fights the sand but it proves too much for his body to handle.

"Damn I hate it when his body is so weak, when did Jackson get so weak?" He growls before closing those silver white eyes of his and his body goes limp. Jamie sighs, thankful for Sandy's sand. It put out everyone but him... fortunately he's done so much training with Mysterie that Sandy's sand had about as much affect on him as ... well... whatever Jack had tried. Doesn't mean he didn't yawn several times, but he can fight off the influence without too much trouble. Jackson is more like a shivering child now while "Jack" is pushing him farther away from the light, sealing him away so he no longer has to share the body; Jackson, in this case, is Jack.

 

 

"J-jamie please hurry." He pleads as he doesn't know how much longer he can fight "Jack." Jamie shakes Mysterie, finally able to rouse her from the sleep she'd been put under. She groans... fighting back the effects finally.  
  
"Whatever you were trying to do... do it now..." She nods, Jamie has to help her over to Jack as her limbs are still weak from the sleep spell. She closes her eyes and summons the power she'd been given to seal away the "Jack" that has surfaced. Jack is crying near darkness while "Jack" laughs darkly.

"Soon I'll be the one and only in control here." He snarls as the influence to be sealed is pushed on him, the power he holds blew her back more and more as "Jack" fights her and Jack just hides; shaking, she realizes Jack needs help back into the light, but he is too far gone.

_"Maybe if I just sleep the pain will go away."_  Jack says tiredly.

**"Yeah, it'll all go away."** Doing that gave "Jack" more power over his body, ice encased her magic bursting and flinging it back at Mysterie; she barely manages to fight that off, calling over the bond as she tries to rebound the magic to seal "him" once more.  
  
 _Jack... please... don't give up..._ He kept bouncing her every attempt back at her, laughing.

"HE'S GONE NOW I'M ONLY ONE IN CONTROL NOW GIVE UP!!" Jack whimpers.

_"I-it's so cold though."_  Jack replies tiredly and she realizes Jack is now warm and "Jack" is in the winter self. Jamie adds his power to hers, trying to force the other back.  
  
 _I know sweetheart.... it was for me too... Remember? That's how I came to be a spirit... I had to weather the cold..._ Jack whimpers, shivering as he crawls towards the light.

_"I-its so c-cold..."_  He shakes his head; he doesn't want to be so cold, but he wants to see Mysterie again...  "Jack" snarls, kicking him back.

"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT BRAT!!" Mysterie reaches out for Jack, slamming the other out of the way at the same time; Jamie is right behind her. Jack shrivels back a little, crying in pain as the ice engulfs his arm that is trying to pull him to the light.  "Jack" yells, slamming Jamie and Mysterie aside before tossing Jack into the darkest part of the body. Jack curls in on himself.

"It's s-so warm... I like it here. Nice and warm, maybe mama cooking.... mama cooking chicken tonight." Mysterie realizes Jack is now falling into his memories and would be the one sealed away if he fell in. 

"I didn't want to do this...." Jamie whispers.  
  
"We do what we must..." Jamie nods, reaching for the power that slumbers inside him... the power is tainted from use, but he grasps it, adding it to the power that Mysterie's using... She throws everything she has into it just as Jamie does. "Jack" grunts, not even realizing what the power is doing exactly.


	2. Recuperation

"NO I WON'T BE SEALED AWAY! I WON'T! NEVER!!!" Jack's eyes open slowly and he crawls forward a little, having the will to reach Mysterie and Jamie on his own. 

"J-jamie... M-mysterie." He loves the warmth but the cold... he hates it but he knows he has to do this to reach those he loves more than he hates the cold; whimpering, he forces himself into the light. Jack whines and cries as the ice and cold engulfs him and "Jack" screeches in anger. 

"NOO!!" With a final shove to seal the other, Mysterie simply collapses from the effort, with Jamie seconds behind her.

"JACKSON YOU CAN'T SEAL ME AWAY FOREVER!! I WILL ESCAPE AND WHEN I DO I'LL MAKE SURE YOUR LOVED ONES SUFFER!!" He screams his last words in anger; Jack shivers, back in his body again as the seal's ending the glow puts the power of the moon dormant inside him once more. Jamie rouses first, his head in his hands; it feels like he has an entire percussion orchestra in his head. Jack whimpers, opening eyes that are back to the icey baby blue; he holds his middle as pain is all he can feel since now he has to get used to being so cold... 

"Anyone get the license of that herd of semi?" Jamie mumbles; Jack winces, chuckling a little; it hurts to laugh but pain is good, it means he's alive... there... breathing... He crawls over to Jamie, hugging him and crying into his chest; aware he'd almost lost, that he'd almost fell into sealing himself away, almost gave in. Jamie smiles, wrapping one arm around him.  
  
"I hope I never have to do that again.... ever." Jack whines a little.

"You shouldn't have had to do it at all!" He cries.

"Jamie... I almost gave up; I almost let "Jack" win."

"Yeah... I know..." Jamie's hold tightens a little. Jack whimpers, crying until his body, having fought for so long, had enough. He coughs, hacking and shaking and Jamie realizes Jack has no energy and that he needs energy to live or else ... Jack shivers.

"J-jamie." He looks around worriedly before hacking and coughing again. Jamie groans, Andrew comes into the room, transferring some energy to Jack as he'd felt the dangerous drop.   
  
"S-sorry... had to find a way out or I'd have been here sooner." Jack whines a little, curling in on himself; it would sustain him for now until his body started making more of it.

"I.... I think we're gonna need some major sleep for a while...." Andrew nods with a slight smile.  
  
"No worries there." Twelve weeks later and Jack is still only at half the energy that he needs to survive, Mysterie takes almost as long to rouse, considering she'd spent so much energy... She's awake just one day shy of the twelfth week mark. Winter spirits, along with Andrew, feed Jack small amounts of energy to help and sustain him until he can wake on his own. Jack wakes up on the noon of the day of the twelfth week mark.

 

 

"J-jamie." His voice is cracking and weak from disuse.

"M-mysterie." He calls out again before coughing, his throat very dry; he feels like he could use a hose of water and something to eat. Andrew gets Jack a glass of water while a host of other winter spirits flit around, attending to Mysterie, Jamie under Andrew's direction; the children help too when not feeding themselves or taking care of the maintenance of the castle. Jack drinks the water slowly before groaning and looking around; worried

"Is she g-going to be ok?" He asks.

"In time I imagine. You just need rest to rebuild your energy, those two just need to soak up some sun." Andrew replies and Jack grunts.

"Damn, I hurt everyone I love again... and I wasn't even partly behind the wheel this time."

"From what I know.... this is mild to what would have happened if they'd failed." Jack nods.

"Oh god, just sitting up is draining me... how long is this gonna take?" Even as he complains he's more concerned about Jamie and Mysterie; Andrew shrugs.

"A week or so with them probably... maybe longer with her due to the power she used, but as for you... well, assuming you _rest_  well and not flit about like you'd like to.... a couple of weeks at the very least." Jack groans.

"This sucks tinsel." It was the closest he came to swearing now, because he was used to having the children around and not being able to swear.

"What happened? Why is my body so out of energy?" He growls out and it's apparent that soon they'd have to tie him to the bed.

"We don't know... Mother Nature didn't exactly explain when she approved of my borrowing some winter spirits to take care of you." Jack looks to see Mother Nature nearby. He has a flash of a memory he didn't remember having before.

"What was that?" Despite that Mysterie and Jamie had sealed his other half, they hadn't been successful in suppressing all of the memories that went with it; memories that Jack would be allowed to see upon his 400th year when he would be old enough to accept the other part of himself, which wouldn't be for another year.

"God if I have these unfamiliar memories in my head all day and night I think I might go insane from lack of sleep and probably my own sanity." 

"Something that needs be dealt with as well..." Mother Nature says as she moves over to Jack to deal with the memories before he can rifle through them or be plagued by them... whichever... Mysterie drifts off to sleep after eating some lunch that one spirit brought her and Jamie is no better off. A winter spirit hovers patiently behind Mother Nature as she does what needs to be done to seal the memories, holding Jack's lunch in his hands.

 

 

Jack grunts and pulls away. "Jack" insisting on being heard, forcing Jack to pull away from Mother Nature's power.

"No more, no more..." He says after the sealing of the third or fourth memory; she sighs and pushes the memories back.

"He's a fighter... always was... I'm sorry Jack, but this must be done. You'll understand soon my son." She forces him into a light sleep as she deals with the rest of the memories. Jack and "Jack" whine unconsciously, never has he felt such excruciating pain in his entire life and it felt worse than all the pain he had endured in his life combined into one. Mother Nature works quickly and only once she is done can Jack rest easy; Jack falls into a deeper sleep. He dreams old dreams, wonderful dreams of them as a family, doing fun things.... only it is poisoned, tainted from when "Jack" ruined them and that is why he whimpers every few moments or so before going completely limp. Mother Nature sighs and calls Sandy over to help repair his dreams, during it Jack wakes, crying out as even touching the dreams hurt him. He slaps Sandy's hand aside.

"Please don't do that ever again." He says breathlessly. Sandy simply signs that he was repairing the dreams and accidentally hit a "nerve" while at it.

"No more." Jack glares, he'd rather have the dreams then having to feel that pain ever again. Sandy sighed a little, signing that he was done anyway, he'd just hit the nerve that one time... Jack lays back, shivering as he still felt the "nerve" pain and glares at Sandy every now and then as the Guardian checks on Mysterie and Jamie's dreams before he leaves the room, glancing over at Jack apologetically once before he leaves. The winter spirit who holds Jack's lunch moves forward, offering the plate to him. Jack smiles at the other spirit.

"Thank you, but I'm not hungry." Mother Nature gives him a look that says 'Eat.' Mysterie shifts in her sleep a little, mumbling something about chocolate cake... Jack gulps a little at the look and obediently takes the plate and eats most of it, though when she turns away he dumps a bunch into the garbage nearby. Mother Nature makes sure he swallows at least some of it before she checks on the other two, she remembers how stubborn Jack is and eventually returns to see that Jack finishes off his plate. Jack nearly groans when she comes back, but he eats what's there at the glare she gives him; he knew better than to anger Mother Nature. He might not have grown up in her court, but there were still plenty of "stories" about what happened to those who actually angered her. A good many he'd heard from Sandy himself, since the Guardian had been with Mother Nature before she had been Mother Nature and knew too well her temper; if she suspected Jack hadn't eaten _all_  of it, she doesn't say anything. She just makes sure he ate what he did and the winter spirit wisely keeps his piece as he takes back the empty plate. Jack is was worried for Mysterie and Jamie more though than himself, everyone could feel it and knew he blamed himself. Jamie is quiet about any of his thoughts on the matter, Mysterie's too busy concentrating on healing to concern herself about what happened though a couple days later she chides him for not taking care of himself to heal. Jack whines a little at being chided, but considers that he should listen to her more before he hugs her and then Jamie gently.

"Just don't want to lose either of you."

"We don't want to lose you either. So take care of yourself, ok?" She murmurs as they hug him back; a few days later Jamie is back to his normal self. The week he'd need has passed and he is up and about helping take care of Jack as much as helping with Mysterie who is still tired. Jack begins to eat when asked to and rest when he needs to. He smiles when the kids came in for a visit, as they had been kept away to allow for more quiet as the three of them had recovered.


	3. Healing

Randy is the first to come in, it is hard to tell him and Jamie apart sometimes; except for his taste in clothing which ran towards darker shades now, despite looking very much like Jamie, he wore a black duster over the dark navy T-shirt and jeans along with a pair of black sneakers. Unlike Jack, he'd grown out of his phase of going barefoot as a youngster. Jack smiles at him and hugs him only to have to take a double take as a young woman walks in that looks exactly like Mysterie, except he knows it's not. Brianna had grown to have her mother's wavy chestnut hair and green eyes, though hers lacked the silver tint that was in Mysterie's and there is a silver streak down her left side. She wore a crimson dress with a hoop shaped skirt that looked like something out of the nineties, it was also very modest in that the neck line barely dipped at all and the sleeves went to her wrists making her look very much the lady she had always acted as from her younger days, the skirt more than long enough to hide the fact she's barefoot. Brianna gives Jack a smile, despite being nearly the spitting image of her mother she is more withdrawn as she doesn't seem to take note of any of the spirits flitting about except a respectful nod to Mother Nature. Luke strides in, a handsome mix between Jack and Jamie, he had Jamie's eyes but Jack's build and a confident grace in the way he moved; his hair is so dark of a brown that it is almost black and it brushes his shoulders, he chose a simple black T-shirt, black jeans and black walking shoes with velcro instead of the normal shoelace. He is very much the obvious black sheep of the family. Noah, quiet as always, is behind him. He looks like a shorter, skinner version of Jamie now though his eyes are green like Mysterie's and they are settled behind a pair of light brown glasses; unlike his siblings who chose to wear darker colors normally, he has a red polo shirt and light khakis and like Brianna he chooses not to wear shoes unless necessary. Jack smiles at each of his children in turn.

"How are you?" 

"Better than you lot. You know Andrea is starting to think she should make your life story into a drama series at this point." Randy says with a grin, thinking about the youngest member of the Bennett family that had decided to take up writing where Sophie had left off.  
  
"Don't needle your father dear."  
  
"He was just kidding mom. You know Andrea wouldn't ever do that, she's too much like her grandmother." Luke says with a small smile.  
  
"Right... and you two are just like your father." Both grin, not at all put off by Jamie's comment.  
  
"Yes, apparently they do take after dear father in ways that are exhausting. How you ever put up with him AND papa I'll never know." Brianna remarks.  
  
"Remind me some time and I'll explain it to you." Mysterie answers with a slight smile for her daughter. Jack groans a little.

"Wow you guys have grown." Randy and Luke smirk, Noah just smiles while Brianna seems pleased.  
  
"Well, we had good teachers." It's the first thing Noah has said since coming in, Jack smiles at his youngest son.

"Yeah, well I'll get better soon enough and then you can show me your cool moves eh?" He says, slowly feeling himself drift asleep again.

 

 

"Aww they just got here." He mumbles around a yawn. Randy chuckles, kissing his forehead.  
  
"Sleep well pops. We'll be around a while yet." The others murmur their agreement, kissing him on the cheek or forehead, then Mysterie, before slipping from the room to go talk with Jamie. Jack sighs, falling into sleep; not much happens in his sleep. A couple of dreams but they are normal, mainly about them all together at an amusement park. When Jack awoke again some hours later he finds Mysterie is propped up and most of the winter spirits, except for Andrew, are gone from the room to let them rest in peace for a while. He notices the pain that he feels is normal muscle pain rather than the ache from before. Jamie sends a small trickle of his power into Jack to soothe the aches while Andrew moves over with a glass of water for him when he noticed that Jack is awake. Jack smiles.

"Thanks." He drinks the water slowly before sitting up a little, he looks to Jamie, who is reading a book for the moment, and then Mysterie.

"Hope she's ok." Mysterie stirs a little, but she's dozed off again. 

"I'm sure she'll be fine in another few days. You just concentrate on getting yourself well." Andrew murmurs quietly; Jack sighs. 

"Okay." He sits back.

"Hey, anyone have any paper? I'd really like to draw." 

"I'll get you some." Andrew disappears and returns with a stack of paper, a pencil, pen and some colored pencils. Jack smiles his thanks and begins to sketch Mysterie as she rests peacefully; it's a few hours before she stirs again, unaware she's been sketched. Jack sets aside the sketch with a smile as he lays back, relaxing.

"Hungry?" Andrew asks, she shakes her head.  
  
"Something to drink then?"   
  
"Some orange juice please." Andrew nods and goes off to fetch it while she stretches. Jack's been having flashbacks every now and then but he doesn't tell anyone about them 'cause something caught his interest; it was like a memory he doesn't remember having. Mysterie drinks the orange juice when Andrew comes back, thanking him quietly; Jack only drinks water. Time slowly ticks by and Mysterie spends it reading or talking to Andrew. Jack groans to himself, sometimes going back and forth between it and drawing; Mysterie also takes naps when the urge takes her. Jack slowly slips towards sleep only to jolt.

"But I just woke up." He mumbles to himself; Andrew just smiles a little as Jack falls asleep again. Jack wakes up an hour later feeling tired and really hungry.

"Ready for supper?" Andrew asks, Mysterie is already eating hers while Jamie is keeping her company in a chair nearby with his own supper.


	4. Memories

"Yes please."  Andrew disappeared only to reappear with something to eat. Jack’s been awfully quiet, it started to worry Randy.

 _"Hey guys."_ He called to his siblings through a bond.

_"Something's wrong with dad he's usually talkative and maybe whiny but he's only spoken two words today."_

_"Yeah, well he is still pretty worn out."_ Andrew remarks and Mysterie nods a little. Jack ate silently, not talking; just saying ‘thank you’ for the meal. He lay back, he’s been experiencing more flashbacks lately and the last one was disturbing. It hurt his heart, made him feel for the other part of his soul that's now sealed away. Jamie sends a twinge of concern over the bond; Mysterie’s too tired to be concerned, but he's not. Jack sends ‘i'm fine’ but it was halfhearted at best. He continued to think on what happened in that flashback; it hurt and "Jack"... Jack was surprised to find he was crying. Jamie senses it and does his best to soothe him. There's a trickle of worry over the bond from Mysterie, but that's it before she drifts off to sleep again. Jack groans tiredly, he went back to sleep only remembering the bad memories he had, but in place of them now came happy ones. Jamie is curious at this but not enough to pry yet. Jack saw a woman, he realized that was Mother Nature; before she’d became Mother Nature she gave birth to "Jack," that part of him... and MiM sent him into Jackson to bring Jack back as a spirit. Jack gasped, waking up shaking his head; he looked around, it appeared to be midnight. Mysterie yawns. She’s up despite the odd hour.

“Hey.” She says softly; Jack flinches a little, looking over; she notices one of his eyes is a  silver white moon color, the other a crystal sapphire ice blue. She winces a little.

“You okay?” He nods.

"I'm fine, don't worry about it." His voice is monotone and he lays back down closing his eyes; she swore she saw a glistening tear on his face before he falls asleep. She couldn't help but worry though. Because too many times had Jack said that and it was something to worry about... Jack awoke the next morning less then rested, he was more or less in pain while awake. Concerned, Jamie spends the day tending to Jack himself; trying to puzzle out what's wrong. Jack turns away and just sleeps; he slips into flashbacks and unremembered memories. Jamie winces and delves into the dreams to find out what's going on... Jack grunted, forcing Jamie out immediately; he couldn't even delve in again, it was his body’s way of protecting those memories. Jack awoke, coughing.

"Jamie please, stay out of my head." He glared, one eye flashed a white while the other blue, but just as angry. Jamie winces inwardly but he frowns a little.

"Something is wrong. I'm just trying to figure out what since you won't talk. What else are we supposed to do?"

"Leave it alone Jamie." He growled.

"I'm fine; no reason for you to poke inside when you want to find out, nothing is wrong." He glared.

"Oh no? Since when do you growl at me for being concerned?" Jamie counters, raising an eyebrow; trying not to be intimidated. He didn't like this...

"Whatever, just stay out of my head Jamie Bennett Frost or so help me you won't be waking up for a while when I punch you!" Both worried and scared now, Jamie leaves the room; Mysterie glares at Jack.

“Good going.” He glared back.

"There's no reason for him to be so concerned, I'm fine." He was clearly annoyed with them.

“You're snapping at him AND me for being simply concerned after what just happened. You know... It's a good thing he got over those past insecurities of his or something tells me he'd have evicted you for being such an ass. Right after he told you where you could shove it. The fact that he HASN'T done the lather yet surprises me because he didn't deserve that.” Jack cooled down a little taking a deep breath.

"I'm just bedriddenly cranky so get off my ass for a while ok?" His right eye, white, glowed more and more as his anger grew. She frowns.

 

 

 

 

“I highly doubt that. You've been in bed longer than this and been more charitable. Don't bother trying to lie Frost. I know you too well.” He glared and just lay on his side ignoring her for the rest of the day, knowing she knew him better than anything but he still wouldn't lower his guard. Mysterie spends the rest of the day grumbling when Jamie doesn't come back even to talk to her. Jack felt bad later though; he was worried for Jamie, why was he protecting these memories? Maybe he shouldn't have been so rude... he tried to get some sleep only to end up whining a little. He couldn’t sleep or eat knowing Jamie wasn't around. Mysterie rolls eyes when Jack begins to whine. Jamie is keeping the kids company in a different room and Mother Nature makes sure Jack eats... at least part of lunch. Jack worried more about Jamie than anything now; he wouldn't eat, he just wanted to apologize to Jamie. He didn't know what had got into him  earlier, he just felt he had to hide and protect those memories. Mysterie sighs a little.

“Will you stop already? You aren't going to get any better any faster by worrying yourself over nothing.”

"WELL IT'S NOT EASY BEING ME! I WORRY ABOUT YOU ALL OK!" He rolled over a little more, having had enough sitting around, he was going to apologize right now. He pulled himself from the bed.

"OOF!" It's been a while since he really used his legs so instead he crawled out of the room. Her sand gently lifts Jack from the floor and sets him back on the bed.

“I never said being you was easy. You worry too much.” He glares and crawls out yet again; he wasn't staying in bed any longer. She puts him back in the bed each time he tries to crawl out of the room.

"LET ME GO!!" He fights the sand more and more, almost making it out of the room. She raises an eyebrow, letting him go but doing that only plops him right back on the bed again. He  growls and seethes in anger at this; he just wanted to apologize, to see Jamie.

“You realize that if I can do this I've been well enough to leave the room... right?” She says mildly as she meets his gaze calmly. He looks at her tiredly as his body suddenly shut down and everything went black. She gets up from the couch and walks over to the bed to lay next to him; unlike Jamie she wasn't as easily intimidated. He sniffles a little in his sleep just from the replaying memories alone.

"Mom why....?" He whispers in his sleep before he goes limp completely. She gently threads a hand through his hair, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek every once in a while. The tears are silvery white and she realizes these tears are "Jack’s" and not her Jack’s. She murmurs.

“It's alright now... I promise.” She gently brushes away the tears. Jack curled into her;  every once in a while he would call for Mother Nature and MiM as if he'd never see them again with heart breaking sobs and cries. She wraps an arm around him to keep him close; gently wiping away his tears and murmuring soft reassurances. At one point Mother Nature  comes in and kneels next to Jack, reassuring him that she is near though she seems less confused than Mysterie is about it. Jack awoke the next morning less rested, but enough to continue the day; he decided to draw his memories, he drew a familiar nursery room with the stars that lit it and the blue walls and cradle and toys of many things. A teddy stuck out the most.

“That's familiar.” She points the teddy bear out, remembering the one she had given life to at Jack’s request. That had kept the children entertained and was currently sitting on the bed in his room. Jack shuttered, a few more toys stuck out but the next few pictures were unclear to him; the edges were fuzzy from remembrance and point of view, she remembered those memories from the tattoos. She doesn't point out that the room is familiar, though she does recognize the patterns from the memory she had seen. Jack ends the picture with a ball of light entering Jackson and the resurrection that made him Jack Frost. He whined and crumpled up the last, tossing it into the trash can instantly; for a minute both his eyes shone a moonlight white, but then were blue as before.

“Well... guess that explains that.” She mutters.


	5. The Other Side of the Coin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer/Warning: The views of the characters in this story are just that. They are not my views or that of my partner, JackfrostTrueFrost300. The stories we do have some controversial subjects from time to time, but do not reflect our views on such subjects as is shown in this chapter. Please be advised that this chapter is in no way meant to demean or bash anyone of any belief of any sort, whether it is belief in terms of religion or sexual orientation. 
> 
> If the subject matter of someone being against homosexuality upsets you then I caution you to not read the following chapter(s). That include this issue. This fictional work of art is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to be taken as a stab against homosexuality nor meant to champion it. Our individual beliefs on such matters are not reflected within the characters we portray here.

Jack waits for hours to see Jamie; he just wanted to apologize and now he was getting cranky, his body less than comfortable. Mysterie works out the kinks through massage to get his body to relax a little, if not completely; she murmurs quietly.

“Give him a chance to recover love. He'll come back on his own.” He grunted, groaning and twisting a little at the massage; his body was one giant ball of stress. She works out the kinks as much as she can. Jack groaned a little bit.

"Ok." It's all he says before she massaged him into sleep. She smiles a little at that. When Jack wake up she’s back on the couch, dozing, and Jamie is sitting next to him. Jack jumps, hitting the headboard.

"O-ouch." He rubs his head, looking at Jamie; his eyes are full of sorrow and sorrys that haven't he hasn’t even spoken yet. Jamie winces a little, saying softly so not to disturb Mysterie’s rest.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you." Jack’s eyes were brimmed with tears. He hugged Jamie tightly, sniffling.

"J-Jamie, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you." He cried into him hard, all he felt was his guilt that he was pouring out. Jamie held him close, gently brushing away the tears.

"There now, no need to cry; it's alright." Jack sniffled a couple more times, he stopped crying finally and just holds onto Jamie.

"I'm so sorry for yelling at you." He whined, now hugging Jamie.

"I'm not mad or anything, promise." He murmurs, holding him close. He looked at Jamie with bright blue eyes.

"Ok, are you ok?"

"I'm fine. You're the one that needs to get better." He sighed.

"Okay." He lay back down tiredly then, but couldn't sleep yet so he just rested. Jamie stretched out next to him, gently placing a kiss on his forehead. He smiled at Jamie then looking at Mysterie, he had apologizing to do still. She dozes, Jamie smiles a little when he notices.

"Snapped at her too eh?" Jack nodded and looked guiltily away.

"I snapped at her for being concerned too."

"A wonder you didn't kick her out for being snappish back... knowing her." Jamie chuckles softly. He turned, guilt ridden; those memories shouldn't have been kept to himself, he realized he should tell them. Jamie gently cuffs his chin.

"Stop feeling guilty." Jack looked at him.

"But I-" Jamie cut him off with a soft kiss. He mmed into the kiss, unaware the young teen, Randy, walked in with comic books to read for himself and Jack.

"Oh gross, why must I be blind now MiM?" He said desperately to him, looking out the nearby window towards the moon. Jamie, a little aware their son had walked in, deepened the kiss a little just because he could and because he found the boy's reaction to be funny. Jack groaned, not even aware he was there; he yelped and hid behind the couch where  Mysterie was dozing. Jamie pulled back before it went too far and glanced over, mischief gleaming in his eyes.

"Was there something you wanted son?" Randy was now hiding by the door.

"Nothing, nevermind." He walked out into the hall only to bump into Luke who had coloring books.

"Don't go in yet, they’re _in the mood._ " He groaned.

"Yuck!" Jamie snickered a little inwardly, Luke made a face at his brother even as he peaked around at the feeling of ‘come in’ from Jamie anyway.

"Come on in, I was just having a little bit of fun with your brother." He groaned.

"Just gross dad." Jack chuckled just as mischievously.

"I imagine you won't think so when you have someone of your own." Jamie says with a chuckle. Luke pretend to puke in garbage.

"Yeah but it's gonna be a girl, I'm not going gay." Jack was shocked at that.

"LUKE!" The way he said it seemed only hateful, Jack turned away a little.

“Enough of that young man.” Mysterie growls a little, making Luke wince; Jamie frowned at the two.

"What exactly was it you wanted?" He sighed, dropping off the coloring books on Jack’s nightstand.

"Stuff for dad to color." He glared at Jack before leaving which made him wince and cry a little.

"Does he hate me for loving another man?" Mysterie sighs a little and gets up to go have a LONG talk with Luke... Jamie hugs Jack close.

"He could never hate you." He murmurs reassuringly. Jack whined but slowly calmed down,  looking at the coloring books; they were all his favorites. He picked one up and colored a picture but he couldn't finish because his heart hurt. In a different room, Mysterie rounds on Luke for his thoughtlessness while Jamie does his best to soothe Jack.

"So what if i dislike their relationship? I still love them both as parents!" He growled.

“Which is why you should keep such thoughts to yourself. You have no right to judge your father and you WILL show him respect. Believe me, you will never be too old for me to swat you.” She growled.

“You hurt him, you owe your father an apology whether or not you like his choice in partner. He doesn't deserve that show of disrespect, ESPECIALLY not from you.”

 

Jack sighed tiredly, his heart was hurting from the comment so he went to sleep in Jamie's arms. Jamie does what he can to help Jack have good dreams; disappointed in Luke himself that he would be so careless of his own father’s feelings like that.

 

"I'M TOO OLD FOR THAT AND NO! I BELIEVE HE SHOULD LEARN IT'S WRONG TO BE GAY!!" A strand of sand swatted him, and it more than stung as her eyes flashed dangerously.

“You have NO right to judge him. I don't care how old you get. You WILL be respectful or you will not be welcome in this house. Do you understand me?” She glares warningly at him.

"FINE THEN I'LL LEAVE!!" He picked up his coat and left the house annoyed and angry. Jack awoke to the shouting a few doors down that echoed in the hallway.

"W-what’s going on?" Jack listened groggily only to hear the last bit.

"FINE THEN I'LL LEAVE!!" and the door to the main castle doors slammed shut moments later. Mysterie sighs, thinking that Luke needs someone to settle him down.... Jamie doesn't say anything, just holding Jack close.

"What happened? What was all the shouting?" Jack asked unsure and slightly worried.

"Guess someone had an argument, doubt it's anything to worry about... it happens." Jamie mutters.

"I'm hungry."

"What do you feel like eating?"

"I don't know do we have any peanut butter?"

"Of course." Jack lay back, worried about the fight; suddenly having a flashback of yelling and screaming "I HATE YOU!" He shook his head, looking around, seeing no one around. Jamie looked at Jack, suddenly worried that he seem worried.

"You okay?" He looked at Jamie, holding his breath before he explained to him about the flashbacks. Jamie is thoughtful.

"Huh... sounds like things weren't so great between the three then... maybe we should ask Mother Nature what happened." Jack was unsure.

"Okay."

 

Luke was walking out into darkness of woods, it was pretty dark out by that time and he should have returned home. Randy went out to search for his brother to try and smooth things over like he'd done as a child.

  


"Do you want a pb and j sandwich?" Jamie asked.

"Yes please."

"Alright. I'll be back with it then." Jamie got up to fetch the sandwich. Jack winced as "Jack" was angry still from the years old memory. Jamie came back, he could sense the anger.

"What's the anger about? Do you know?"

"Um I.. I don't know." He wasn't going to explain much about "Jack" anymore since he didn't want Jamie to worry on that.

"Hmmm, alright." He handed over the sandwich.

"No offense to him... but he kinda seemed like he had some issues when he emerged... not necessarily with us... but just... in general." Jack shivered.

"It's nothing really." He ate the sandwich only to wince at a small pain of "Jack" at the comment from Jamie. He sighed and told Jamie of the past weeks with the flashbacks. Jamie listens quietly.

"And the last one was a fight with MiM and Mother Nature about something. I don't know what." He winced again as the other was still pissed from that day and the memories.

"I see... seems like he has unresolved issues with them then." Jack nodded, eating the sandwich; giving half to Jamie. Jamie smiled, taking half and eating it, just like he'd often done in years past. Jack smiled.

"Where's Mysterie?"

 

Luke was in Burgess since it was close by, ignoring traffic signs and such since most people couldn’t see him anyway.

"Luke!"  Randy calls out, catching up to his brother.

"What do you want?" He huffed, glaring ahead at a couple of guys kissing; unaware of the spirits.

"I'm your brother... I know your feelings and moods like my own, what do you think I want?" He replies with a half smile. He walked a little faster away.

"Just leave me alone Randall." He used his hated nickname that he always used to irritate him on purpose. As stubborn as his brother was, Randy was just as stubborn and despite scowling a little at the nickname he followed his twin.

 

"Talking to the kids I think." Jamie replied. Jack asked if he could maybe go outside, but his body still felt weak from the sealing.

"Well, I don't see why not. Just don't try anything okay?" Jamie picked Jack up and carried him outside. Jack smiled.

"What makes you think I'd try anything with this pain?" Jamie chuckled.

"I know you too well is what."

 

Luke glared at his sibling but continued to walk only to be bumped into by a homeless man.

"Uh excuse me." He never saw such a filthy scruffy old guy before. Randy rolled his eyes at his absent-minded, stubborn, tunnel visioned brother. Tossing some money into the empty cup the man held.

"Really, you're so blinded sometimes you can't even see what's right in front of you."

"What's that supposed to mean." He growled.

"Exactly what it is supposed to. You practically ran down that poor man." Randy replies dryly.


	6. Cause and Effect

Jack threw a snowball at Jamie; it was more powder than snow since he couldn't really make snow at the moment.

"Hey... now what did I say about trying something?" Jamie gently chides. Jack huffed.

"What? Your face was so tempting to hit with a powder ball."

"Uh huh... just don't do it again mr. or I'm taking you back inside."  Jamie commented as he brushed it away. Jack pouted adorably.

"Fine." Jamie smiled, kissing the pout away.

 

Luke glares.

"Look, people who are weak in the world should learn to stay out of the people who are strong’s way."

"It's that thinking that has kept you from getting your powers back."  Randy says bluntly, he was tired of being snipped at. His brother glared at him.

"Why don't you just go home to mom and my apparently sickly gay dads!" His tone harsh  before taking off. Randy teleported in front of his brother, he wasn't going to let Luke get away with that and punched him, hard. This wouldn't be the first time he'd gotten into a fight with his brother like this... He glared angrily swinging a good right hook into Randy's jaw before sweeping him off his feet and kicking him hard in the stomach.

 

Jack giggled but something in his heart told him that Randy and Luke were fighting.

"Jamie, find Luke and Randy; now," He winced. "they're fighting." Jack whined; it hurt him when they fought because he could feel pain from both. Jamie sighs.

"Let's get you inside first, then I'll take care of the boys." Jack winced more as the fighting progressed. Jack whined and cried; it hurt when they hurt each other because, in many ways, they were still connected to him.

 

Randy swept Luke's feet from under him and scrambled over, slamming his elbow into Luke's gut before slamming his fist beneath Luke's jaw. Had they been normal humans they'd have lost a few teeth and had cuts and bruises by now as the two of them fought with strength beyond what their forms would suggest they would be capable of. There were a few cops around and they decided to break the fight up.

"HEY! HEY!" They pulled the two apart, but not before Luke slammed his foot into Randy's jewels; unaware who they were interfering with.

"Goddamn it Luke!" Randy squeaked from the blow, he broke away from the cop and slammed his fist into his brother's face hard enough to bust his nose... were he human. Jamie settled Jack in bed before teleporting to Burgess to separate the two when they broke loose of the cops.

"I HATE YOU! I HATE THIS FAMILY!!" He hit Randy with a good punch, breaking a tooth or two loose, but not broken... or would have if he were human.

 

Jack cried out from the blow, it was like they were hitting him and not each other.

 

Jamie slammed Luke with an small illusion to get him to stop.

"ENOUGH!" He stumbled back as the officer yelped as he was kicked hard and had to let go; both officers were down, Luke took off running faster than a cheetah much to the surprise of those who could see the commotion. Jamie just teleported him back to the same spot, arms crossed as he had set it now so Luke was dangling from a tree branch by his shirt so he couldn't take off again. Luke yelled in anger, shaking on the branch; struggling to get down, the officers only saw what Jamie wanted them to see while Jack could feel the stress. Jamie sent the officers off while he stared at Luke, waiting for the boy to cool off a little while Randy staggered a bit, slowly recovering from the fight. Luke glared at Jamie and Randy; Jack was in pain beyond belief and Jamie could sense it was both the boys that caused it, which didn’t help matters.

 

"Mind telling me what the hell this is all about?" Jamie looked pointedly at Luke, knowing the other had likely started it.

"I was trying to walk away for a bit he had to follow me and punch me so I'm the innocent one here." He snarled. Jamie looked at Randy.

"He was being an ass.” Luke glared at Randy.

"GET OFF MY ASS THEN YOU ANNOYING, GAY LOVING PRICK!!" For that comment, Jamie gave Luke the illusion of having his mouth washed out with soap.... He spit out the imaginary soap.

"Whatever, I'm out." He pulled and ripped himself free landing on two legs nimbly like a cat.

 

Jack winced more, the more Luke’s hate filled him the more pain Jack experienced, as if it were an infected wound that just got worse and worse. Jack winced hearing every comment even if the pain wasn't physical any more it hurt his heart.

 

Jamie teleported Luke right back to a new branch, this time by the seat of his pants.

"Oh no, you are NOT walking away from this. You are GOING to take responsibility for your actions." Jamie folded his arms, this time his powers set Luke in Jack’s place temporarily. making it quite clear that Luke was doing painful damage whether he meant to or not. He spit blood on the ground at Jamie’s feet.

"You know what? I don't care! I ain't coming back either."

"You know what... I think I've got the perfect place for you then. We'll see how long you enjoy a place you can't simply walk your way out of." Jamie growled, he was done dealing with Luke's attitude. The boy was teleported away to the one place that would sever the bond the boy had to all his siblings and family... the Time Palace.

 

While the boy was reeling from the trip, Father Time was waiting for him, a neutral expression on his face as his sapphire eyes regarded the boy that had been dumped at his feet... almost quite literally.

"Where the hell am i!" He yelled, pissed off.

 

Randy winced sadly for his brother and hugged Jamie.

"Dad, did you have to send him there?" Jamie sighs.

"He'll be fine son. As it is, he'll maybe learn a thing or two. I know your father did."

 

Jack was wincing in pain, that was the final straw; he couldn't take the pain of just suddenly losing connection to him and passed out.

 

Father Time looked at him with a slight frown but spoke.

"You, young man, are at the Time Palace. My home."


	7. A Poor Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: this chapter contains rape/non-con content. I have notified you here before the chapter in case you did not notice (somehow) the proper warning for this "book." please do not comment hatefully about it as I put this notification here to hopefully ensure that any who are sensitive to such or do not wish to read about such will skip this chapter. Skipping this chapter does not wholly affect the plot of the entire story and is a choice made at your own discretion.
> 
>  
> 
> You have been warned.

Luke stumbled, not realizing there was someone there.

"Time zone?" He asked, unsure.

 

Randy sighed.

"I have a feeling dad’s in pain." Jamie nodded.

"Much as your brother is an ass... your father still loves him very much. You two are the closest to him out of all of the children because you came from him. I'll do what I can, but don't worry too much over about Luke, he'll be in good hands." Jamie teleported back to the castle to ease Jack’s pain as much as he could. Jack had come to by the time the two reached the room; he winced.

"Jamie why?" He asked gently; he didn't want his baby boy anywhere but here with us, but he knew he needed to be there for a bit... but it still hurt. Randy winced yet again.

 

"There really isn't one here my boy. I control all time." Father Time replied, staring at the youth.

"You must have really ticked off your father to have been sent here. Been ages it seems since I've had company."

"Yeah well he deserved what I said." He spat out, annoyed but less angry.

"Really now? You know... time is a funny thing... and there's someone who's attention you've gotten. I don't mean your family. The question is this... do you think you deserve to meet him? He's like you... in some ways... but not so much in others. I leave this choice to you boy, but be warned that this choice could mean a disaster you might not ever wish upon anyone."

 

Father Time looked at the defiant youth. He normally didn't allow someone like this in his home, but the other definitely wanted in... and wanted this boy.... well, he knew well that the boy's family would eventually pick up on his absence from the palace, but if the boy chose to meet the one who so badly wanted to meet him.... Well, he wasn't going to stand in the way of what the boy got...

 

"Because it needs to be done love. He won't listen to any of us, to reason. At least there we know he can likely learn something we've been trying to teach him the easy way." Jamie murmured as he settled next to Jack.

"If the boy is ever going to make the amends he needs to in order to regain his powers, he's going to have to learn." Jack fell asleep as the pain became too much.

 

"Who is this other person you're talking about?" His curiosity got the best of him.

"He calls himself Desire. It is, more or less, his job. I warn you against meeting him, however, because Desire is not the one meant for this job; anything else you find out about him will be of your own doing. Make your choice."

 

Jamie sighs as he does what he can to draw the pain from Jack as he sleeps. Jack winced and fought the pain, but it kept pouring down like acid rain. Jamie had a bad feeling all of the sudden, but he shoved it aside as he was too concerned with trying to help Jack who would awake hours later, drained instead of rested.

 

Luke glared at Father Time.

"Fine, let me meet this Desire you’re talking about then."

"Don't say I didn't warn you...." Father Time leaned back in his chair as Desire materialized.

"Finally! I thought the old man would never let me in! Nice to meet you kid... what's your name?"

"Luke." He said, slightly shy cause of the hungry look Desire gave him.

"What’s your name?" He felt slightly irritated, but not as much now.

  


 

 

"Markus, but most call me Desire... all part of the job. It's very nice to finally meet you Luke." He gave the boy a charming smile, banking his desires... the boy looked like such a beautiful mix of Jack and Jamie... oh what fun he would have with this one... but he needed to be cautious... Father Time simply watched the exchange.

"I have a whole world of my own, where anything I desire I can have... food, money, clothes... you name it. Would you like to see?" Luke looked cautiously at Desire.

"Uh I..." He wasn't sure how to answer, for one he didn't even know this guy, and a name like that didn't sound good.

"Um maybe next time."

"A pity. You see I can also replicate people too. I made duplicates of some of your family. They're quite different from the people you know. I was thinking maybe you'd want to meet them too. Of course I created them with their permission... it does get so lonely..." Desire sighed, acting more like Markus now, the hungry look fading from his eyes and he just seemed ... tired. Luke jolted at that.

"Maybe I could give it a try." He wanted to be loved by his family, but he just had hate towards the realization that basically his fathers loved each other as much as Jack loved his mom.

"Where is this place?" Desire almost laughed... oh this was too easy... He gave the boy a small, tired smile.

"Well, it's a place beyond here. Sort of parallel. Give me a minute here and I'll take you, after all. I'm sure they'd love to have someone else who could relate to them." It was only a moment before the palace ripple around them and Father Time seemed to just disappear.

"I know everything looks the same... but we're here... And here I control everything." He could hardly stop the smirk.

"Really?" Luke looked around, dumbfounded.

"Really." Desire snapped his fingers, a duplicate of the amulet he wore appeared in his hands and before Luke could do more than gape, he'd looped it around the boy's neck. He could hardly wait to get started.... No mistakes this time.

"What’s this?" He asked curiously, it was kind of pretty and gold.

"A gift... and it also ensures that what I said is true... about controlling everything... Including you." A dark smile flitted across his face then.

"Don't bother trying to take it off... it's enchanted.... as are you now." His face took on a look of horror.

"What..." He was dumbfounded for a minute but tried pulling it off, like Desire had said it wouldn't budge.

"LET ME GO!!" Desire chuckled.

"And why would I do that? You look so much like your fathers...." He exerted his power through the collar, making Luke go limp in his arms.

"Now, now. I'm sure you'll learn to enjoy the things I give you." Desire wasted no time shifting the area around them into a room with a bed and sending tingles of ever growing pleasure and desire through Luke. Luke groaned, whimpering; fighting the desire, but it was hard with the collar. His body wouldn't respond that's all Luke could feel right now only small tingling pleasure from the other. Desire sat on the edge of the bed, positioning Luke to his liking as his power continued to increase over the teen who he wagered couldn’t be more than eighteen.

"You're such a rare gem, you know?" He said, slowly increasing his power to increase the desire and pleasure that Luke would feel. He whined, fighting it as much as Jack would have; he really was a mix between his fathers and just as stubborn as Jamie and Jack combined. 

"L-let me go." His voice forceful as he spoke against the power Desire had over him; his body slowly started to respond to the pleasure though, a tent beginning to grow in his pants.

"I don't think so. You belong to me now..."

  


 

 

Desire slowly stripped Luke of his clothes, taking his time; savoring each moment as his power continued to grow over the other spirit, mingling with the delicate, rousing touches. Seeming to know the right spots to send delicious tremors of pleasure into Luke's body no matter how much the other might not want it. Luke gasped, harshly fighting more and more; whining as his body responded fully to the touches, becoming even more aroused. "Let me go!" He whimpered more. Desire’s fingers played along the hardening length, up until now he'd only been using teasing touches along the boy's body; skirting the area mostly, but now he wanted the boy to really feel the pleasure he was going to offer him. His touch was gentle and slow, watching the boy's reactions to each touch. his other hand slipped along the boy's thigh to slide beneath his balls, playing along them before skimming down to play along his arse hole. He cried out, arching a little quivering at the gentle touch; whimpering, groaning and moaning. He bit his lip, it was bleeding now as he tried to stifle anymore sounds in defiance.

"Now, now. None of that... Besides, there's no one else here. No need to be ashamed or embarrassed. I want to hear every sound..." Desire murmured seductively, slipping from his own clothes that were feeling too tight before he ran his tongue along the boy's length, a small tube of lube appearing; he coated his fingers with it before slowly slipping one into Luke as his tongue slid along the hard length. Luke whined, struggling; his body was sweating, the pleasure growing he gasped out.

"Aha ah!" As was many garbled squeals, mewls and yelps of pleasure; he knew it wasn't right, this was wrong and something in his head spoke...

 _"But was it wrong when dads did it? They love you as much as your siblings, what's the difference from them loving each other like a woman loves a man? Is this the same as that? No this is rape."_ Luke screamed out, the pleasure too much, he released.

"Mmmmm..... guess you don't have the control yet your father does... well I'll teach you it... No worries. We have all the time in the world..." Desire smirked and waited a few minutes, planning his next moves before his power slid over Luke again, this time he would ensure the boy lasted as he began to arouse him all over again. Luke cried and called out, hoping he could be heard.

 _"DAD! I'M SORRY!!!"_ He cried out in his mind. Desire picked up where he'd left off in teasing the boy once Luke was erect again, this time he put a ring on the boy to ensure that he didn't release too soon; his tongue sliding around the toy as he slid his finger deeper into Luke. Searching for the spot that would make the boy see stars. He gasped arching up and groaning loudly when he did.

"S-stop please!" Tears fell from the teen’s eyes, he whimpered the ring stopping him from releasing was very painful.

"Oh but we haven't even gotten to the best part..." Desire purred, slipping in a second finger to stretch him a little while his fingers played with that sensitive spot to make the boy squirm in pleasure. He whined crying.

"Let me go!" He struggled more and more, his body was hurting it was too much his cock spouted a little from the mix of pleasure and pain. Desire growled a little, impatient, he shifted and slid into the boy, removing the toy as he did so. Luke cried out, not ready for the girth.

"Please, please stop!" He sobbed, begging as the pain shot through him.

"Please!" Desire exerted his power over the boy, overriding the pain sensors in Luke's body with his power. he waited only a moment until he could activate the pleasure sensors for this part of the boy's body before he began thrusting; impatient as he was, he wanted the boy squirming beneath him in pleasure, not pain.

  


 

 

Jack yelled so loud in pain the entire castle and the city could hear his cry, at least those who believed anyway, as Luke connected more forcefully to his father, desperate to talk to Jack and it was then he knew something was wrong. Jamie winced... ow... his ears... Oh man did his ears ring now... Mysterie came into the room, she was deeply worried now. There'd only been a few times Jack'd cried out THAT loudly for any reason at all... and none of them had been pleasant.

"J-Jamie something’s wrong... L-luke’s trying to connect, he's in trouble Jamie." Jack kept mumbling, he needed to find him; his body hurt like wildfire.   

"I'll talk with Father Time. I'm sure he's fine Jack." Jamie had no idea.... He teleported himself to the Time Palace to have a talk with the other spirit

 

The boy panted, crying out at each thrust; squirming and arching, pulling slightly, trying to get away but his body wouldn't let him.

"Please st-stooop!" Desire shuddered.

"Mmmmm... your cries are so delicious boy..." He purred, thrusting harder and deeper into the boy, sending wave after wave of pleasure through the spirit as he drove to drive Luke's body to release again. Luke cried more and more, moments from climaxing.

"Please no!" His body arched and pulled Desire into him more. His cries only seemed to egg Desire on all the more. Luke whimpered, trying to call Jack for help or Jamie... anyone, but the bond was dead to him. Luke’s body was so close, he cried out a couple more times before releasing. Desire shuddered as he released after a few more thrusts into Luke, he grinned triumphantly, murmuring.

"There's a good boy... I'll make sure you feel only the pleasures I can give with my power until your body gets used to mine." The other spirit summoned a towel to clean up the mess gently; he tossed the towel away afterwards, it disappeared and he lay on top of Luke with a satisfied grin. Luke only sobbed into the bed, his body violated now; he felt filthy.

 

"You... you did WHAT..." Jamie stared in horror at Father Time who didn't seem at all surprised or phased at the spirit before him who had not taken well the news he'd given him. The light spirit had paled considerably. Jack was gasping for air, desperately trying to end the pain from his child who was trying vainly to call him and he couldn't get to him or even talk to him. Jack yelled in more pain as he tried in vain to connect to Luke; his yells were getting louder each time. He needed to hear his baby boy, find out what the problem was.


	8. The Calvary

Desire rolled over, getting dressed as he felt a spell push through.

"Ah... seems we have a visitor..." Jamie's bond snapped into place with Luke and Jamie shook with anger and guilt.

"Well, better go see who it is...." Luke panted tiredly and painfully, his body hurt now; the pleasure gone, replaced with horrible abdominal pain. Desire's surprise flitted across his face when he came face to face with a very pissed off Jamie.

"Well... aren't we the brave one?"

"Let my son go."

"Let him go? He's a guest here. I invited him over an-"

"Don't give me that bullshit."

"And just what are you going to do about it? He's mine Bennett." Desire smiled darkly at Jamie's angry face.

"Didn't you forget I control this world? Everything and one in it included." He summoned the other Jack, during his time he turned the double evil. That Jack only glared at Jamie with malice and hate.

"Say hello to Jack2, he hates you a lot apparently."

"Not everyone." Markus appeared, behind him was Jamie's double and Mysterie’s.

"You don't control them like you think... I only allowed you to think you did... You have been a thorn in my side for too long! I don't know what poor idiot brought you back, but this ends for good." Jamie scowled.

"I'm not the helpless Light spirit you once knew Desire. You don't control me either." He snickered.

"Pity you all think that." The Jack double’s eyes flashed a red as the little amulet controlled the poor double who was once good, making ice slam into Jamie hard. Desire kicked Jamie into a wall and entrapped Mysterie in water she couldn't break free of easily, and Markus was tied up in vines as the other Jamie was mercilessly being attacked by the Jack clone. Jamie's double had a problem getting free, but Markus simply turned the tide with the vines. making it now so that every attack that Jack tried against him would hit Desire instead. He flew after his double grappling with him as there was no way the two could fight simply by influence. Jamie broke free of the ice, melting it around him and evaporating the water around Mysterie's double. She sent her sand and flame after the controlled Jack, aiming for the amulet around his neck to break the jewel while Markus was trying to break the one that Desire wore. Desire snickered, before anyone could blink they were in a labyrinth. Mysterie was being attacked by doubles of her past, the Jack double was refocused yet again to attack only; he was crying in pain, making the Jamie double wince knowing full well what was wrong with the one he loved.

"Aww, you’re so cute... like little rats in a cage." He laughed darkly as traps ensnared Jamie and Markus where they were, falling into quicksand. Markus ended up pulling Desire into the quicksand with him, after a quick movement though by Jack; who was trying to aim for Markus. an ice spear cut into the necklace, causing it to fall. Markus grabbed it and tossed it into the air towards the Jamie double who caught it.

"Smash it!" Markus called out to the double who nodded and proceeded to do just that.

"NOOO!!!! The walls shook as Desire snarled, kicking Markus in the face before he kicked the Jamie double away. The jack double caught the amulet on forced command, it was all up to the jack double now cause he stopped and listened.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR GIVE IT TO ME!" The Jack double looked like a scared child backing away.

"N-no." Desire snarled.

"Give it to me now." He sent the double pain, making the poor thing cry out; making the Jamie double more pissed. Mysterie's double had managed to free herself from her past doubles and shot a fireball at the amulet the Jack double held, the thing exposed into a fiery mess. The other winced; the spell was broken, the double fell unconscious and Luke was free. Desire screamed in anger, suddenly everything was glowing brightly until a warp in the dimension exploded. Desire was gone for good. The Jamie double flew over and caught the double of Jack before looking at the original in confusion.

 

"Okay... this is EXTREMELY confusing..." The double said.

"Don't concern yourself with it. Just take Jack and Mysterie home to rest." The double nodded, doing just that while the original flew off in search of his son; using the bond to soothe the boy, murmuring along the bond.

 _"I'm sorry son... I'm coming... it's going to be alright now... I promise. He won't ever hurt you again."_ Luke whimpered.

 _"Daddy."_ It was broken and scared, like the first words before birth. Jamie could tell Luke was sobbing. Jamie arrived at what was left of the room, guilt slammed into him as he moved over to the sobbing boy.

"Oh son... I am SO sorry... I never would have sent you there if I thought for one minute..." Jamie barely choked out as he held Luke tight against him.

"I'm sorry daddy. I didn't know what your love meant to dad at all..." He whimpered in pain, leaking blood slightly. Jamie realized then the bastard had managed to rape and literally broke tissue and muscle tissue.

"Daddy it hurts..." He whimpered, in so much pain. Jamie sent his power into Luke, soothing the pain... Oh God... he was never going to live this down...

"I know... I am so sorry son... oh God am I ever..." Jamie wept even as he moved to make his son decent again and gather him into his arms. He had screwed up so very badly.... He shifted through the dimensions, taking Luke back to the castle to a very alarmed Mysterie.

"D-do what you n-need to..."

“Oh God... Jamie...” She’s horrified as the bond snaps into place again, tears spill over as she tends to Luke's wounds with infinite care, murmuring softly.

“My poor baby boy...” She envelops him into her arms while Jamie heads off to see Jack... this was going to be ugly... he knew it... especially since he knew the bond would have snapped back into place for Jack too...  Suddenly feeling the bond snap into place it was highly painful for Jack, but the pain and feeling from his son made him jolt in surprise. At first he was in shock, then going deeper into his injuries... livid anger. Luke patted the bond.

"My baby boy, oh God!" Jack cried then slowly it went into an anger that it was hard to describe, but Jamie could feel it. Luke whimpered, he was like a scared little child; like the day he was born.

"Mommy."

“It's okay Luke. I'm here...” She coos soothingly, holding the boy tight; she sensed Jack’s emotions too and began to fear for poor Jamie... who felt nothing but guilt... the weight of it made her swallow several times... Oh God... Jamie had sent him to the Time Palace to learn from Father Time. Not to... Jamie was quaking with the guilt inside him as he slipped into the room Jack was in. He didn't even bother speaking. He was pretty sure he knew what was coming and he wasn't going to shy away from it this time. Jack kept his voice even, calm. 

"Jamie Bennett Frost. You sent our son to the Time Palace and I come to find out he was raped and by Desire of all people." Jack chuckled, it made Jamie wince.

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!" He screamed so loud everyone in the castle could hear it. Jack tossed a vase two hitting his chest with a crash, but Jamie didn’t move even with that.

"YOU.... JUST CAUSE HE WAS MAD SENT HIM THERE ONLY FOR THIS TO HAPPEN! AND YOU BETTER MAKE DAMN WELL THAT BASTARDS DEAD BENNETT!!! IF I FIND ANY MORE PAIN IN MY SON I AM HOLDING YOU ACCOUNTABLE!" After that all was silent after he calmed down some.

"I.. I-I can't even speak or look at you. Leave the room now."


	9. Complications

Jamie didn't say a word the entire time, he left when Jack told him to. Luke whimpered at every touch the sand made.

"Mom, it hurts." He whined out and Jack sent comforting words to Luke though he was still steaming; sending soothing power, what he had to heal his own body going to soothe Luke. Mysterie growls over the bond.

 _Stop it! You are NOT well enough to take care of our son. I don't care what the hell you feel. You are to WAIT before you do something like that again do you understand?_ Jamie comes back into the room where Mysterie and Luke are, his power taking away the pain Luke feels as her sand tends to him. Jamie stays with Luke, never once leaving the room he's in. Keeping close to the boy, though he barely speaks as days tick by slowly. Luke wakes up once in a while during nights, but only winces at the pain and stitches inside him as well as the microscopic pain anywhere else; meanwhile Jack was just laying down, sobbing sometimes once in a while.

"Dad." He coughed out.

"Dad.” Jamie soothes Luke each time, soothing the pain though he could do little to soothe the mental anguish his son had gone through he made sure that Luke wasn't in any physical pain. It was several more days before Luke was physically healed completely, but as for mentally... only time would tell. Once Jamie was sure that Luke was in no more physical pain he made himself only as scarce as he dared. He would come though if Luke called him, his siblings had gone to their respective homes but only because Mysterie had insisted on it and told them that it was for the best if they let their brother be a while... though each of them had protested. Luke winced, calling to Jamie.

"Daddy." He been calling him daddy for a while, he was scared Jamie was still feeling guilty of what happened.

"Dad it's not your fault it's mine. I... I let him take me." Jack was, meanwhile arguing, with Mysterie about how he cares for his child.

"HE'S MY SON AND I'LL HELP HIM HEAL IF I GOD DAMN WELL PLEASE!" He yelled loud enough for even Jamie and Luke to hear from the room they were in. Jamie hugged him, murmuring quietly.

"No Luke... it's not your fault. I promise." Jamie flinched at sound of Jack’s voice. Mysterie scowled.

“Not until you're better and if I so much as even find a HINT of you doing otherwise you are going to be quarantined do you understand me Jackson?” Jack winced.

"Yes." He hissed between his teeth in unbridled fury as he glared at her before she left. Luke whimpered.

"Dad stop blaming yourself please, for me, and the family’s sake. Dad will come around, he just needs to cool off." Jamie doesn't say anything to that, he just hugged Luke close; dissolving into quiet tears while Mysterie sighs and went to fix the noon meal for the four of them as even Andrew had left the castle; having duties to see to. Jack bit his thumb in agitation; God he just wanted Luke to not be in pain anymore. He sighed, he knew Mysterie would yell at him for this; suddenly Luke felt a hundred times better than before as Jack gave him half the energy he had that was helping him. Feeling drained he lay back, tired.

"Dad." Luke whispered.

"Daddy why did you fall in love with dad?" He asked sniffling. Before Jamie can reply Mysterie’s words are echoed through the castle.

“JACKSON OVERLAND FROST!!!!” Jamie winces a little in sympathy before he wipes away a few more tears, murmuring softly.

"There are a lot of reasons for that son. The first part being your father was a good friend of mine. That's how things started... I was human once and, well... I had the privilege of meeting all the Guardians. I was one of the handful of kids who could ever say they'd really met North... aka Santa, Sandy, Tooth and Bunny. I was your father's first real believer too. There wasn't anyone on the planet at the time who believed in the Guardians more than I did. Not even your fathers newest believers after that Easter that I told you and your siblings about. Every story we've ever told you about us is the truth. After a fashion... I came to love your father as a brother, but one day, when I came of age, I realized that love had... somewhere along the way, become more than just that."

 

 

 

Luke giggled.

"I wonder how dad felt about you." Jack winced and squeaked, hiding under the covers. Mysterie transports Jack out of the castle and to the ice cavern, making sure it's sealed tight with her sand before she leaves him with a plate of lunch and goes back to the castle to serve the other two.

"Well... that's a good question. See, the time I started to love your father I was just a teenager. Sixteen actually and... well, I was jealous of your mother because she already had his heart. I didn't end up telling your father I loved him until much later because I was scared, I knew he loved your mother and I didn't think I ever had a chance of being more than a little brother to your father." Luke sniffed.

"Aww."

 

Jack winced, grumbling he ate the turkey a slip of a word went to her from the bond. _"...psycho bitch."_

 _Don't you DARE tempt me Jackson... or I will SHOW you psycho bitch..._ Jack squeaks and eats silently now.

 

Luke giggles.

"Dad, do you think I'll find someone I really love like you and pop?" Jamie smiles faintly.

"I'm sure you will son. It just takes time, don't rush into anything okay? The only reason I knew I really loved your father was because I dated around a lot. I went through a phase of denial and even when I realized how I felt, I tried to get over it... but when you really truly love someone... No one else will do." He gaped.

"Wow... thanks dad." He hugged Jamie tightly, the advice pouring along the bond and seeping into the boy.

 

Jack grumbled a few choice words about Mysterie still saying ‘ridiculous bitch who needs to calm her cheese...’

 

"Any time son. Ah... I'd better calm your mother before she kills your father..." Mysterie was furious. Jack whistles a tune in his own little world, playing with an ice guitar in his ‘storage space’

"She is a psycho bitch!!" He sings a song like that for more than five minutes... Brianna's voice rings in his mind.

_"Mom's gonna kill you...."_

 

Mysterie is fuming... but Jamie manages to keep her from killing Jack... if only JUST.

"Huh?" He ignored her. "...and she cares too much about me." He ended the note writing and printed the song; then he made spaghetti but his energy was waning, only pissing Mysterie off more knowing that even in quarantine Jack was wasting energy. She appears in the room, hauls Jack to one of the bedrooms and straps him to the bed, though leaves him just enough room to eat his supper before she disappears again. Jack whines, annoyed.

"Bitch." He licks at the plate as he reaches out to the food, but the bed is preventing him from doing it. She returns, sets the plate where he can reach it.

“Don't push it any further or you'll be on a food bag mister.”

"I don't care what you do to me, you can't silence my urge for freedom!!"

“Maybe not, but I CAN make it impossible for you to speak for several days.” She disappears yet again, he winces, glaring at where she was, but eats silently as soon as she does leave.

"Bitch is crazy."

_I heard that._

 

 

 

 

"EEP!" Jack eat what’s left of his dinner and now just lay resting, instead he sings 100 bottles of beer on the wall; by the time she went back he was repeating another verse.

“1,000 bottles of beer on the wall. 1,000 bottles of beer, take one down, pass it around. 999 bottles of beer on the wall." She raises an eyebrow at Jack, a lot calmer thanks to Jamie.

“You must really be bored.”

"What makes you say that?" He looks at her with an annoyed glare. Not only was he bored, he kept having flashbacks and the pain was increasing to points where he would scream for nearly 3 minutes to 5 minutes tops; though it was his own stubbornness that he refused Jamie’s attempts to soothe the pain.

“I've heard you sing a lot of things, but that one is a first.”

"Yeah, well... when I'm bored, I'm bored." His right eye flashed white and a terrifying scream ripped from his throat; for five minutes he screamed from the agonizing pain. She winces at that. He panted heavily, twitching a little as the scream was loud and painful.

"So, um... what were we talking about?" He asked, in bearable, throbbing pain.

“I think it's safe to say that the other half of you hates this quarantine more than you do.” Jack winced.

"So, um... any news on Luke?" He asked, out of his own pain as she felt the throbbing pain; it was a very unpleasant feeling on everyone's end of the bond.

“Nothing new. He's been spending most of his time with Jamie. He probably will do that for a while until he gets over the whole thing.” Jack nodded, wincing; he was rather harsh on Jamie, but... well, what parent wouldn't after letting their baby boy fall into the hands of that bastard rapist, Desire? Jack panted a bit before falling asleep and for twenty more hours before morning he would scream and cry in pain because of the anger of "Jack" and his own stubbornness. Mysterie does her best to reason with the other side... though there doesn't seem to be much TO reason with...

"Back off your the one who sealed me here." Growling, he pushed her out of the sealed consciousness. She sighs, back outside the mind she still tried to talk to it.

“Yes, but only because I had to. You twisted the person I love you know... and on top of that Mother Nature gave me the power to do so. I didn't ask for it. You have issues with her... unresolved ones... and with Manny as well. A mother can always tell... and no I'm not saying I'm stepping into the role of YOUR mother, just saying that I can sense it.” He glared at her.

"You sealed me away just like she did; she promised I would see him and her again, she lied." He flared out in anger, causing Jack to scream in agony. Luke winced, sensing it.

"Dad." Luke reached out to Jack only for "Jack" to lash out at him. making his own pain flare.

"OW!!"

“Did she?” She crosses her arms.

“Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I believe you DID see her again. Right after I had to seal you. At any rate I made no such promises to you, I did only what I believed was needed to save the one I loved. As for what was promised... well, I won't speak for them but I've never known Mother Nature to do something without good reason. Did you ever consider there WAS a reason you were sealed? You've been in Jack for... how long? Since his rebirth I imagine... so what exactly did you do for 300 years? Pout? Did you never stop to think? To reflect over what DID happen? To maybe ever question WHY it was necessary in the first place? And stop taking your anger out on Luke. The poor boy has been through enough lately.” "Jack" scowled or if he could would scowl at her.

"Shut up you know nothing about me and my connection with Jackson." He snapped, causing Jack more pain; it only happened when he got angry. Jack would cry out and it was increasing.

 

Jamie soothes Luke's pain, locking Luke's side of the bond to prevent another lash from reaching the boy again. Luke was worried.

"Is dad going to be ok?"


	10. To the Moon

“I never said I did, but what I DO know is that you and he aren't the same. I will protect what I love at ANY cost... got it?” She growls a little.

 

"He'll be alright. Don't worry about your father, he's sometimes stronger than any of us.... and in a lot of ways." Jamie murmured soothingly, hugging Luke. He hoped what he said was true anyway... Jack had managed 300 years of loneliness... he could handle himself.

 

"Jack" snapped angrily.

“Whatever, I'm apart of Jackson and if you wanted me out you can't.” Jack moans in protest.

"Please stop pissing him off Mysterie, it hurts." She sighs, well aware of that.

“I didn't say I wanted you out. Stop putting words in my mouth and LISTEN for once...”

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME THEN!!"

“I want to understand you... to help if I can.” She replies quietly.

"How can you help? My parents apparently didn't want me since they sent me here." He huffed sadly, crying a little.

"Dad always treated Jackson with luck... loved him like a son." Her voice is gentle.

“I think there was another reason they sent you here. After all, if they didn't love you... why send you to Jack? To someone who would have a kind heart and come to have a family of his own who will protect him at all costs? What better way to protect you than to send you to be with someone who will be protected by others? Who is to say that the so-called luck, wasn't sent to Jackson because of you?” He crawled a little from his prison, it’s what he thought of it anyway.

"But why seal me away for 300 years? I couldn't even talk to him ‘cause of it and all his hate and anger made me into what I am... All the anger from 300 years... it killed my heart, I'm that frozen husk of his soul in his heart."

“A question probably best fit for Manny. I think you're more than just Jack's hate and anger because you also feel jealousy. You feel pain don't you? You aren't just some simple part. You are your own person. I'm sure it hurt and maybe you feel like all you are is a frozen husk but I don't think that's true. You've been with Jack so long, undetected... you've seen the joys of Jack's life and never said a word, felt his pain and did not flinch at it. You've been around... I think... since before... and you are more than what is seen on the surface.”

"Then why seal me away?" He sniffed and started to cry; it reminded her so much of Jack’s pain and crying, it really was Jack... he was Jack, a part of him.

“Well... I reacted in haste and I'm sorry for it... as for their reasons... you will have to ask them.”

"I- I don't want to. I know they don't want to see me, it's why they sent me to Jack."

“I doubt that. In fact, I was talking with Mother Nature about you the other day. She admitted, at least in some way, that she chose to send you to Jack on purpose. That doesn't sound to me like they didn't want to see you. More like that they wanted to make sure you were well cared for.” He snapped at her again, making Jack cry out louder than ever as his rage was tenfold.

"HOW IS THIS WELL CARED FOR?! GET OUT! YOU KNOW NOTHING!" She sighs a little.

“Well, let's see what she has to say then shall we?” She disappears for a few minutes, when she comes back Mother Nature is with her. "Jack" caused Jack more pain as his anger grew.

"Please s-stop, I’m begging now." Jack was begging to his counterpart, that's how bad the pain was. Mother Nature settled on the edge of the bed, her gaze gentle.

"She said you wanted to ask me something." A whole bunch of new emotions fell at once in a burst of unshed tears that needed to be shed from 300 years ago.

"WHY DID YOU SEND ME AWAY! DIDN'T YOU LOVE ME? WHY SEND ME TO JACKSON? WHY WAS MY LOVE NOT ENOUGH?!" He was in a fetal position now and Jack’s heart ached for him.

 

 _"Jack."_ He called and felt for the counterpart, well mostly because he was him and he had endured Jack’s pain and everything he’d felt for those 300 years. Her tone was quiet.

"My dearest son, sending you away was the hardest thing we ever had to do... We love you very much. I know it probably doesn't seem so. We sent you to Jack because we knew he would be the best place for you. No spirit on this planet was ever more protected. Even during those 300 years... you probably never saw them, but there was always someone looking out for you." He sniffled.

"But why? What made you send me away... why?" He whimpered, Jack’s heart ached just as much, his own question was the same as his...

"Why?" Jack even asked, eyes now filling with the white eyes of "Jack."

"Because of Pitch." That stopped Jack in his tracks.

"What?" He froze as did Jack, his body went rigid. She sighed.

“Pitch... was once a good man. He was my father. We knew that someone would need to stand up to him, but he couldn't know about you... he would have destroyed you... We had no choice.” Jack sniffed.

"Is that why he hated me from the start?" Jack looked at Mother Nature with sadness until it sank in.

"Wait doesn't that make him my grandfather!" He coughed, freaking a little; realizing how deep this went into his soul. "Jack" even gagged at the thought, and it was true.

"No, that's not why he hated you. In fact, he doesn't know... we've kept him in the dark about you for many, many years... but yes. He is your grandfather."

"Jack" sighed while Jack coughed.

"Now what am I to do? It's obvious I can't leave my prison."

"Just wait lovely. The spell will only last until he is 400. It was meant to last that long the first time. Sadly, there were complications with that thanks to all that has happened since the time the first one was cast." He sniffed.

"I w-want to be free now though." He whimpered, sobbing; he wanted to be free and Jack wanted to have him free.

"Isn't there any other way mom?" Jack asked, having not called her that in a long time.

"I'm sorry, but there isn't. The limit was put on there for a reason, but that you will have to ask your father." Jack sniffed.

"How can I if he won't say even two words to me?" Jack’s own rage flared, blasting a hole in the wall in that anger with fire.

"HE NEVER TALKS TO ME! HE JUST DOESN'T TALK! YOU KNOW HOW LONG I TRIED GETTING HIM TO TALK TO ME!!" Jack screamed, not letting up on anger; breaking the straps, by this time he would have used up all his energy and killed himself, if not for Mysterie and Mother Nature there, which is why this wasn't good in the slightest.

"I mean at least he could make time to talk with me!"

"Sweetheart... he doesn't have the energy to anymore. I can take you to him if you really want to talk to him... but he barely has enough energy to commune using the crystal." Mother Nature replied, Mysterie had been silent the entire time. Jack sniffed.

"I'd like to see him." Jack’s heart was on fire, the only one that hadn't really forgiven Manny was well still him, but it was "Jack." She smiled a little.

"Come then. I'm sure he'll be happy to see you." Mysterie let up on the rest of the straps that kept Jack to the bed.

 

Luke winced as he awoke from yet another nightmare; it was the same one as always.

"D-Dad?" He called out into the dark, heart beating rapidly.

"I'm here son." Jamie murmurs quietly, he'd been dozing next to Luke. He alone could know and understand the nightmares that came so frequently, but unlike Jamie, Luke had someone who understood and cared.

"It's alright. You're safe."

 

Jack followed Mother Nature closely only to collapse; his energy was waning dangerously low from the outburst. Mysterie catches him.

“Ah, perhaps I should accompany you this time. Although perhaps a quick nap won't hurt before we go hmm?” She glances over at Mother Nature who nods.

"I don't wanna." Snores quickly follow.

 

Luke whimpers, upset.

"Pop he... he was there; he took me... he killed dad... he locked you away...." He whimpered, recalling the realistic nightmare. Jamie gently held him.

"I know it seems realistic, it's not. I assure you. He's gone for good... I saw to it myself son... Here... Maybe if I share what I saw with you then you can beat back some of these dreams hmm?" Jamie gently let his power trickle over Luke, replaying the last moments of the battle for him through Jamie's eyes. It had been rough, but the one called Desire was no more. Luke smiled, hugging Jamie closely.

"Pop can we go see dad?" He asked gently.

"Maybe when he gets back, your mother says they're going to go see your grandfather." He nods.

"Yeah." He rubbed his bottom a little though because it still hurt, it was phantom pains now but it hurt just as much.

 

Jack groaned groggily, waking up in pain again after a few hours. Mysterie smiles a little.

“Feel a little better?” Looking around, Jack realized he needed to see his dad and that he could free "Jack."

"Since he's likely not expecting you, we'll take the long way." Mother Nature summoned the water around them from the air to make a looking glass and stepped through; Mysterie tugs Jack after her gently. It leads them back to the Nature Palace. She then takes them to a mirror Mysterie’s not seen before, but Jack has. She steps through that and Mysterie follows, from there she steps through another mirror out of a group of others; when Mysterie follows this time they seem to be in some sort of sitting room with chairs, the mirror is next to three chairs.

"Where are we?" Jack remembered this, sort of, but he couldn't put his finger on it. "Jack" angrily caused him pain on purpose this time for being stupid to him.

"AHHH!!" Jack cried out, holding his chest.

"Please stop being angry."

"Calm down. There's no reason to be upset at him, there's much he doesn't know after all." Mother Nature says as she leads the three of them from the room to a hallway and from there to a living room. She calls out.

"Manifred?" What looks like a large caterpillar moves over to her in response.

"This way ma'am." She nods and follows.


	11. Chaotic Anger of 300 Years

Jack was confused as to what a giant caterpillar was doing on the moon; he shivered, feeling so out of place it hurt. Mysterie keeps close to Jack’s side, just in case. The caterpillar, dressed like a butler, leads them to a small study.

"Thank you." Mother Nature says as it opens the door for them and steps back, Mother Nature goes in first and they follow. The study is filled to the ceiling with all manner of books and there is a desk in the center of the room, two chairs before the desk that are cushioned and behind the desk an elderly man sets down a pin. He is plump and his eyes are a pale blue that twinkle gently with kindness as he looks at them. He looks to be wearing a golden suit and he sets a pair of reading glasses down, his hair was almost nonexistent and Mysterie has no idea how he manages the strange style of what hair he does have that seems to defy all gravity. He smiles gently when he sees them. Despite this, he also seems very tired; like at any moment he might simply drop off to sleep.

"It is good to see you Seraphina. I see you have brought some guests with you." Jack’s throat closed up, his eyes twinkled, with tears filling them. He sniffed.

"Dad." It's all he could say, his now white eyes are filled with so many emotions; sadness, hate, anger, guilt, fear, love, and pain.

"Son. It's good to see you." Mysterie watched in silence as he stood up and moved around the desk, her lips twitch a little in a smile and she moves aside as he hugged Jack gently for a moment before stepping back.

"You've grown up so much." Jack was had mixed emotions; he dizzily stepped back.

"Why didn't you speak to me all those years when I needed you most?" The emotions changed drastically and Mysterie could tell by his anger that Jack might attempt to kill MiM himself if he didn't get a satisfactory answer despite his flagging energy. He even had a knife of ice, he was angry, as much as "Jack." He sighed a little.

"I wanted to, but it nearly took all I had just to reawaken you. To bring you back so you could be there for the Guardians. I'm sorry I haven't been able to speak to you but I am not an immortal as you are. My spirit is strong, but I will not last forever." Jack’s grip tightened shakily on the knife, something inside him wanted to kill MiM but the other didn't want that. "Jack" didn't want that; tears came as fast as they went.

"You could have sent me a message... anything, like you did with the Guardians!" Jack snapped, tightening his grip, ready to stab MiM; the only thing holding him back was "Jack" and it looked like he was losing his grip on Jack’s soul. Mysterie realized this was gonna get ugly really, really fast.

"Don't think I didn't try. Sadly those who could have reached you, who helped protect you those first many decades, have passed. I did try to reach you once or twice, but it wasn't until this last century that I've even had the strength to call the Guardians." Jack snapped, he couldn't hold back the knife came glinting in a flash. "Jack" screamed, trying to stop him from killing their father; Jack was angry, just so angry that he wanted him to die. He didn't know why, something provoked him. "Jack" panted heavily, he had forced Jack to toss the knife aside at the last moment; he now sat on the floor, just holding his hands in tight fists. Shaking in pure raw anger, he wanted to see Manny’s blood staining the wall, something told Jack those weren't his thoughts. Mysterie is surprised at the force of the anger she can sense, though Manny doesn't seem at all surprised. Jack pants heavily, just trying to calm down but it wasn't working all. He wanted Manny to die, it's all he felt at this very moment.

"I understand if you're unhappy with me. I wish I had been able to tell the Guardians about you sooner. I had hoped they would look out for you as well." Mother Nature sighs.

"As did I. Sadly they did not take me seriously when I tried enlisting their help." That took the cake they didn't even believe his own mother; Mysterie realized Jack was gonna kill the other Guardians and something was pushing that anger. Something wanted this to happen; his eyes flashed red suddenly and he was gone through the mirror before anyone or thing could stop him.

"Oh dear... I believe you said too much Seraphina." Mysterie spins into sand to chase after Jack, alarmed.

 

Jack growled, first stop was the North Pole; North didn't even realize what was coming to him, fire blazing surrounded the pole. Wind howled in Jack’s anger... all those times with them came into his mind then. "Jack" was trying to stop him, he was a more rational person now at this point but now Jack wasn't going to listen. The North Pole was in danger as soon as he crashed into the window; Jack screamed in anger.

"NORTH!!" His name howled through the wind and around the workshop. Mysterie catches up with Jack mere seconds later; the yetis are staring as she swirls around Jack, trying to interfere and at the same time send out a warning to Jamie who sends a warning to the Guardians over his comm while she tries to calm Jack down.

"300 years and they didn't even believe them! THEY DESERVE THIS!! THEY DESERVE TO DIE IN THE COLD!! WHILE THEY’RE HERE EATING AND SIPPING COCOA I'M OUT THERE FUCKING STUMBLING TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO SEE ME! DO THEY EVEN KNOW THE PAIN I WENT THROUGH?! DO THEY!!" He screamed, catching the inside of the entire workshop on fire; the yetis are trapped and scared of Jack now; all the toys, the workshop was wrecked beyond what even Pitch had dared do. Mysterie snuffs the fires and reforms, grabbing Jack.

“No, I don't think they did, but are you going to persecute them before you hear their side? Do you NOT remember how that felt when they did that to you?! Calm down! You're not doing any good like this!” She shakes Jack gently, trying to get him to see reason. It didn't work a burst of energy slammed her into a pillar it cracked and almost crushed her; luckily Bunny was there.

"OI! WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM MATE?!" Jack’s eyes turn brighter red than ever, mere slits.

"You! You hated me from the start huh?! You didn't want to find me ‘cause I messed with your so called precious egg hunts!" Fire and ice surrounding the poor rabbit. Bunny's ears drooped while Mysterie tries to recover from the blow.

"So that's what all this is about mate? About past mistakes? Don't ya think I don't know what I did was wrong? I've been tryin ta make it up to ya ever since... We all have. I'm probably the worst at it... I never was very good at this kinda thing."

"Well maybe you can learn your mistakes when your three feet under!!!" He roared, slamming ice into him; freezing, numbing, deathly cold.... the room’s temperature was negative zero. Surprisingly the rabbit didn't die from that, Jack floated down; picking him by his scruff kicking away his weapons and freezing his feet together. Jack’s red eyes only held anger beyond belief, making a sharp ice knife he lifted it; ready to kill Bunny.

"Say goodnight kangaroo." Bunny cringed, only to be teleported away to safety... Randy leaned against one pillar... he'd never done that before... but he knew this wasn't right... and he'd heard Mysterie’s frantic call over the bond.

"Stay out of this Randy." Jack said his name as much malice as he had Bunny’s. It hurt Jack to hear himself talk about his own son that way. He blew Randy hard into another pillar; he wasn't seeing straight anymore, he was just an angry ball of chaotic energy wanting to kill all the Guardians. Randy shook, his eyes wide in shock... Jack'd never done anything like that... no matter how much trouble he or Luke had caused as kids... Mysterie slams Jack into a pillar with her sand, angry beyond belief that he'd attack one of their own children. Randy disappeared from the pole after making sure that none of the other Guardians were around. Scared for the others, Jamie sent out a call to Noah and Brianna and the two appeared next to him in their own fashion and Jamie teleported them to the Time Palace where the Guardians were huddled. Sandy was thawing poor Bunny out while Tooth flitted about, a bit of a nervous wreck. Only Sandy didn't seem to be bothered by any of this; North seemed to be in a constant state of flipping between sadness and worry. Father Time saw to his guests calmly.


	12. What It Means to be Family

Jack glared, standing up ice, fire and vines that came out in a wide arc of power almost stronger than the blast against Pitch years before now attacked the Guardians as they huddled in the Time Palace.

"So you’re all here now, great then your deaths shall be slow and agonizingly painful like you had made my life as painful and agonizing those 300 years... and didn't even think to look for me because you don't believe or care about shit!" Jack attacked full fury against Sandy, flipping over the Guardian Jack slammed and froze his sand to pieces; finally encasing the poor Guardian in water so that he might die a painless death of course since he couldn't feel any pain physically.

"Enough." The water evaporated around Sandy, freeing the little Guardian while Father Time moved over to the group, waving away the vines, forcing them back with little effort.

"You're being rather rude Jackson. Attacking my guests." Jamie and the children huddle next to the Guardians in a mix of fear and concern; only Mysterie didn’t seem to fear him. Jack glared viciously at the Guardians.

"They deserve what they get!" Jack snaps at Father Time, he tried attacking again, this time going for Tooth.

"Die!" He almost sliced her in half. Father Time frowned, this time Jack was frozen in place, rendering him entirely immobile and unable to do more than breathe or move his eyes.

"Are you suggesting, Jackson... that in the mere 300 years you have lived that you know better than I do? Because I've been around since the dawn of time itself. I've seen what is to be, what might be, what has been, what could have been... and you insist on this... childishness?" Jack grunted, struggling but his body just wouldn't move; he snarled at Father Time, only pure rage was in his body now. There wasn't "Jack" or Jackson in his soul as it had burned out after hearing what the Guardians did; Jack was obviously lost and in his place, anger of 300 years.

"I know more about you than even your own mother ever knew. I have watched you, I know of your anger and while it is justifiable that you would be angry at them I simply cannot allow you to destroy them. They, like yourself, are too valuable. The world needs them just as it needs you." He growled, the only way anyone could hear him talking was that Father Time allowed them to hear it through thoughts.

 _"I don't believe any fucking word you say! I don't give crap anymore; they just deserve to die in freezing cold!"_ This anger was new, it was provoked and edited in a way... There was felt a familiar presence in the dark. Randy sensed it as Jack had told him and his siblings all about Pitch and to stay away from him.

“Pitch." He was right the man waited in the darkness, smirking.

"Oh yes... my other uninvited guest... seems to be a thing lately." Father Time said then turned to the boogeyman.

"Really now, one would think you'd treat your family better." He admonishes gently.

"What ever, what I really came for was to watch the show but I guess even that was ruined by you, so I guess I'll be leaving now." He moved to leave, turning to head for the shadows only to pause and say over one shoulder.

"Oh, it was nice seeing you all; especially you Jack, since you’re my grandson just know I will treat you less of an enemy more of a grandchild." Jack quivered inside.

"No... please don't." His hatred still hadn't left when Pitch did; Jack still wanted to kill the other Guardians and the aura was very clear now.

"Such a party crasher that one. I suppose in another thousand years or so he'll eventually come around to being nice to his family." The Guardians, not having known this, stare in shock; completely dumbfounded at the revelation. Jack snarls at Father Time, struggling against his power; more than ever he wanted all the Guardians to die. He wanted to see them gone; he grunted as he felt "Jack" crying and whimpering for Jack to stop, to stop the pain.

_"SHUT IT JACK!"_

 

"You know, talking to yourself like that isn't healthy. You really should take your own advice every once and a while. You can struggle all you like, but you're not going to go anywhere. I don't like doing this sort of thing Jackson, but you've forced my hand." He growled, all Jack’s anger aimed at Father Time; it was like a bomb went off in a scream of rage and will power, the power exploded from him and at Father Time. Father Time waved away the attack like one waved away a fly.

"You're not going to get anywhere like that." Jack screamed in anger, Noah was in tears; he didn't want Jack to be this way anymore, Luke was hiding by Jamie with Brianna. Randy went close to Jack though. Jamie felt only love and concern, Randy had gotten over his shock now he was just angry at Pitch.

"Dad..." Randy wasn't sure what to say as he walked with Jamie over to Jack. He struggled against Father Time’s power even more, but his eyes, forcefully by "Jack," focused on Randy. Jack growled at him. "Jack" spoke through him.

"Don't believe anything my anger says; son, I love you very, very much."

"I know that. I wouldn't be here with dad if I didn't. We love you and we know this isn't right... this isn't like you." Jack struggled, growling.

"I'm being consumed, my soul; it's out of place. It hurts, I can't stop."

"Yes you can. We all believe in you, all you have to do is forgive them... I know it's hard... and I can't say I understand... but I know it's easy to be angry... I mean... I always get so easily angry at Luke... but I still love him and I'd do anything for him. Even though we've fought countless times... I still forgive him for it... even if the reason we fight is still the same." Jack whines, fighting the anger. "Jack" pulls, trying his best to pull it together; the red was slowly leaving, his eyes going back to the blue they once were.

"Randy." He focused on his family and the anger was dispelled slowly at first, but then quickly as "Jack" nearly fainted from the effort. Jack nearly collapsed as he hugged Randy, sniffling.

"I'm sorry." Jack couldn't say anything more, but everyone knew he meant none of it, that it was just anger that was forcefully egged on. Jamie and Randy caught Jack as now he was out cold; it would be a while before he woke up but everyone knew Jack would be fine. Among them, Luke worried the most. When he does wake he’s in a large bedroom. Chairs scattered about the room. Only the kids, Jamie and Mysterie currently occupy the chairs. Mother Nature is there too. Standing behind Luke, talking quietly to him. Jack groggily opens his eyes.

"W-where am I?" Jamie is the closest.

"In the Time Palace. Father Time let us have this room to use for a while. " He says quietly. He looked at Jamie, but Jamie didn’t meet his eyes, and the other occupants with worry as he felt the memories of what happened run him over like a train. He didn't dare look at anyone then and looked at the bed spread. Jamie took one of Jack’s hands in his. Jack felt guilty for what he’d done; "Jack" was still out cold, he only felt guilt. He’d nearly killed his own family, he hurt his own son... He’d nearly killed Bunny... The other Guardians... Sandy... they didn't deserve any of that. Jamie sensed it, murmuring softly.

"Jack. It's ok." He winced, even having people talk to him made him hurt more. Jack felt that he didn't deserve this kindness; he didn't deserve to be anywhere near these people, it's all he felt. Sensing Jack’s mood, Mysterie got up to sit on his other side and the kids crawled up the bed to hug him much as they had when they were toddlers. He tried to pull away.

"No, I don't deserve any kindness what so ever." He hid under the covers. No one says anything but they hug him. Covers and all. Jack grunted, there was a spot frosting meaning he was crying or either weakening. Their love flows towards Jack. Pure and unconditional. Undeniable.


	13. Time Gone By

Jack started to hug back, not as strong, but it was a start. They stayed all day. Talking with each other and even sharing humorous stories about Jack, Mysterie, Jamie and the kids when they were young. Father Time was a model host, bringing them refreshments but mostly not bothering them much. Jack still looked down in the dumps, sadly picking at his food; everyone knew he was feeling extremely guilty. All of them gathered in a circle in hushed whispers a moment before one by one each of them left the room until Jamie is the only one left in the room. Jack set the plate aside and just cried himself to sleep. When Jack woke up, the room is still empty of everyone but Jamie, who has tucked Jack against him and is quietly resting but not asleep. Only saddened, guilty thoughts were in Jack. He felt only that he shouldn't even be touching him, shouldn't even be allowed to have children or people to love if that was how he was going to treat them.

"Jack, please. You're making yourself sound so much worse than you are." Jamie murmurs softly.

"Jamie."

"Hmmm?" Jack shivered; Jamie knew it wasn't easy for him to get over it, which was why he couldn't take it anymore. He rolled right out of bed and ran out of room. He just ran, he didn't know where he was going, but he just wanted to get as far away as possible from his wonderful family who he only thought didn't need the burden of him anymore. Jack turns a corner and nearly runs smack into Father Time who steadies him.

"Here now, where are you off to in such a hurry?" His gaze is calm and his tone and touch gentle. Jack sniffed.

"I- I... uh." He couldn't talk. Jack looked down at the floor, shaking his head; he couldn't take it and ran right past Father Time and Mysterie, the kids, and the other Guardians. Just running to... he didn’t where, but where ever away was sounded good to him. Father time was waiting for him when Jack managed to make it to the room with the mirrors he'd once showed him to.

"You realize you can't run, don't you? Even if you ran to the corners of the planet they would still seek you out. You can choose a lot of things in this world Jack, but your family isn't one of them. I can almost hear the doubts of your mind, Jack and I'm aware of what you are likely thinking. Truth is though there's a reason you have such a family. Would you like to see a moment of time that even your other half doesn't know?" Jack backs up.

"Just leave me alone!!" He yelled, he wanted to be alone. It's all he wanted, to be alone at this moment in time; his mind was hurting, twisting things he once thought. Jack was about to break or explode, he couldn't handle stress like this.

"Well, I can do that too... but I can't say they'll be pleased... I'll check in on you in about an hour, hmmm?" He disappeared then, the palace was quiet as a tomb now. Jack coughed, shivering, hugging himself; just wanting to be alone... Now he was.

 

It seemed like hours years maybe. Luke wanted to see Jack as did Randy, Brianna and Noah - who hadn't spoken, he hardly ever had in his entire life.

"Mom, can we see dad?" Noah’s quiet voice sounded a lot like Jack’s mixed with Jamie’s.

“We're supposed to do this one at a time." The others walked through the Time Palace looking for Jack an hour later, but no one found him and only after a time did anyone ask Father Time what was going on.

"Where is he? Anyone find him?"  Jamie asked, but everyone shook their heads.

"Well, he hasn't left... technically." Mysterie looks at Father Time skeptically.

“What did you do?”

"Well, he asked to be left alone... so I simply compiled and shifted him to a different time. Before I made the Time Palace my permanent home." Jack sniffed.

"Where am I?" He thought for a moment looking around, though not much had changed in appearances.

"Hello?" He rubbed his eyes, still feeling guilty but now also hopelessly lost. He searched the area.

"Mysterie? Jamie? Randy! Luke! Brianna! Noah!" He called each of their names, his voice growing louder with each.

 

"NORTH!" He walked the halls, his voice echoing back at him as if to mock him.

"BUNNY! SANDY?!" He called Tooth’s name loudest.

"TOOTH!!" His voice echoes off the walls, but that’s it.

 

"Wait... so then he's alone in the Time Palace?" Jamie asked.

"Well, yes... and beyond that... because the first person on the planet was me, Mother Nature came at a later time, before her though was Bunny. He and Manny, as well as Sandy, were the first when the planet was still very new. I was trying my hand at courting Mother Nature back then, but she only had eyes for Manifred."

 

Jack began to worry about what's going on.

"Where is everybody?!" There is a soft sound of footsteps at one end that suddenly stop, someone is in the Time Palace besides Jack. He walks closer towards the footsteps.

"HELLO!" A familiar voice calls back, the accent is thicker.

"Crickey, thought this place were empty."

"Bunny!" Jack called out, he walked towards the voice. Bunny emerges from the room nearby, and right off the bat Jack realizes something is wrong. For one thing, Bunny is shorter... almost his height actually and he's dressed in a green coat, holding a staff; the same one Jack’s only seen him use a handful of times.

"So I weren't hearing things. Blimey, a new spirit... You ARE a spirit... ain't ya?" Bunny's nose twitched a little.

"Uh..." He nods quickly.

"Where am I? What is this place and when did you get so short?" He was strongly weirded out.

"Wot? This is Time's den... Bloke is out though. Can't smell 'im. Wait... what do ya mean SHORT? Just who are ya and what you doin here?” Jack backed up.

"My name’s Jack... and what do you mean who I am? You know me... don't you Kangaroo?!" He yelled back in shock and desperation.

"Now what do you mean Time’s not here?! He can't leave or the timeline will be destroyed!!”

"I dunno why ye think I should know ye. I just 'rived here prior year. I ain't met many here... well... 'sides Mother Nature... Time's got a thing for that sheila. He's out courtin' her now. Ye okay there? Ye kinda look like ye seen a Fearlin' or somethin'." Jack looked white as a sheet.

"I think I'm gonna be sick." He nearly threw up his stomach at the poor confused, ancient rabbit’s feet.

"D-did you say Father Time’s courting my mother?" Jack was even more shocked.

"Ye related to that sheila? An' ya... I did. Not that she pay the poor bloke much mind. Ye feelin' okay there Jack?" Bunny just stares, confused and a little concerned. He backs up.

"No, I'm... I'm not." Tears falling, where was he? What did any of this mean? Why was Bunny young, why was his mother... Mother Nature, not married to his dad?

"Well, I might have somethin' for ye then back at the Warren... if ye don't mind taken a trip there." He looked at Bunny, unsure.

"O-okay." Bunny smiled gently.

 

"Come on then. Can't make me tunnels in here... somethin' 'bout how the bloke has this place set up." He leads Jack outside, there is nothing to see but dirt. Bunny summons his tunnel, just as Jack’s used to, but the trip is short and the Warren is anything but what he remembers. It was expansive, but nothing more. A half built home sits in one corner with tools that aren't identifiable as well as only a few large stones carved in the image of the egg sentinels he remembered. The rest is a rather empty, hollow place. There's light, as normal, but no flowers, no dye stream or vines to decorate eggs. Jack looked at the area and suddenly it began to make sense to him.

 

"This must be before Bunny’s time or either Time sent me back to when the Guardians first came to be." He spoke quietly while following the younger rabbit.

"Eh? Guardians? Wot ya talkin' 'bout there?" Bunny asked as he pawed through a bag that was sitting next to the half finished home, ears twitching constantly. Jack jolted a little.

"Nothing for you to worry your pretty little head about kangaroo." He replied, slightly saddened at almost killing him in maybe a thousand years or so from now.

"Wot the heck is a kanga-" He stopped mid-sentence and tensed, his eyes darting about the Warren now, one paw clutching the staff tighter. Jack caught his eyes.

"Hey, you ok?" Jack tightened his hand on his own staff tighter then Bunny's, ice creeped along the ground around him.

"Watch it!" Bunny shoves Jack aside suddenly, there's a hiss from what looks like a child... except it's not a child... despite looking like one it has glowing eyes and it balks at the light from Bunny's staff as he tries to blast the thing. It dodges the blow, hissing at them both.

"HEY! THAT'S A KID! WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU?!" Jack tackled the rabbit in shocked anger, unaware this is what Fearlings were then children were turned into them.

"Hey kid, are you ok?" He reach out to what he thought was a boy, unknowing of the danger. The child hisses and Bunny blasts the thing's leg, causing it let out an inhuman shriek.

"That's no child!" Bunny growls out as the thing backs away and disappears into a shadow of one of the stones, Bunny glances around... but after a moment when it doesn't reappear he begins to relax slightly and he sighs.

"Crickey... that was close... Didn't think one of them buggers was here an' if I didn' know any better I'd swear ye didn't know that was... Wait a tic... you DON'T know... do ye?"

"Know what?" Jack looked at him, confused more than ever; the Fearling child was actually a rogue lost on Earth. Bunny sighs.

"Well, tha' answers tha'. Donno where ye been, but the Lunaroff family are out to rid tha galaxy of their like. THAT, Jack, was a Fearling. Nasty buggers. Look like children.... sad part... they once was... but once yer a Fearlin' ain't no goin' back. Not that them royals ain't tried. Not many of them buggers here though, guess there aren't many of them humans to prey on... too well protected I reckon... Wot with that city of theirs... almost good as Manny's... so I hear. War should be over soon though... last I heard the count was down to the very least of 'em... Be right glad when it all over. Be a peaceful galaxy to raise kits an' wot not."

"Kits?" Jack looked at him, unsure of what to say next; the Fearling child and other Fearlings looked at Jack like a delicious meal to relish and eat. It wasn't until Bunny sensed them that Jack was dragged into darkness.

"AHH!!" He screamed, shouting out; struggling against the many claws and hungry eyed children and teeth that looked anything but dull. Jack screamed, freezing many; ice blew the creatures away and they shrieked inhumanly.

"Jack!" Bunny called out in concern, weaving spells to try and help. The Fearlings drop Jack into a familiar grove where Mother Nature is tending to a new flower and Father Time is watching her with adoration; though he glances over when Jack’s dropped nearby. Jack shivered, hugging his cuts; it seemed like a bunch of them took a bite of him.

"Mom." He saw her and thought of only mom, it's all he thought of at the moment before he lost consciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know this isn't how things went... but I hadn't read the books until earlier this year and this story actually was started last year. For knowing nothing about the books... I think this "trip in time" actually went quite well...


	14. Dark Souvenir

Mother Nature stared, startled while Father Time simply walked over to Jack with a sigh.

 

Back in the Present....

 

“Wait... let me get this straight... You sent Jack BACK. IN. TIME.” Father Time nodded.

"He said he wanted to be alone so the best I could do was send him back."

"Are you nuts?! When the hell is he?!" Jamie yelled, he was the most bothered because to him Jack had just disappeared and that was a very horrible feeling...

"Some time during the Golden Age, before Pitch was even around. He'll be in good hands. I was around, as was Bunnymund and Mother Nature."

 

Jack awoke, groaning a little.

"Can someone give me the license plate number of that semi truck that hit me?" He asked, thinking Jamie or Mysterie would answer and that was all some horrible nightmare.

"What's a semi?" Mother Nature asked.

"You'll find out later. Jack, lad... little early for phrases like that. Feel better? You seemed to have had a nasty run-in there." Mother Nature sat next to Jack, who was pillowed on a bed of vines and flowers; she'd patched up what wounds she'd found from the Fearlings. Jack hissed in pain as the stitching hurt.

"Nothing I can't handle." He said gently, looking at Mother Nature, he was shocked and nearly fell off the flower bed.

"Mom." He whispered gently, she had his brilliant sapphire eyes at this time, before she had those eyes full of ...everything. Mother Nature looked at him, puzzled, then up at Father Time who shook his head.

"I'll fill you in later my flower." She nods and goes back to tending the flower she'd been tending to when Jack had dropped in.

"Well then, I see you left the Time Palace. What do you think of this place? Before you ask, yes, this is before many things that you know from your own time."

"It’s nice a-and how did I get here?" Jack looked around, last time he was being attacked by Fearlings; unknown to or known to Time, the Fearlings loved the taste of Jack’s fear and pain. They wanted more they wanted to feed on him forever. Jack was immortal, they snickered, watching his every move from darkness; waiting for Father Time and Mother Nature to leave any moment.

"My future self sent you here of course. Although I... he... had not predicted that you would draw what few Fearlings inhabit this place at the time. Of course they are dealt with long before even Pitch arrives... but well, I suppose I forgot the little detail of how much Fearlings are attracted to fear and pain. You are likely loaded with it if they openly attacked you like that in the middle of the day. Fearlings hate sunlight with a passion... I suppose you're justified considering all things you have... or have yet... to go through. I guess that turn of a phrase depends on one’s perception of time... considering you, my boy, are of the future and I am not future or past, but simply am." Jack shuttered.

"But how do I go back? I n-need to get back to my family but..." He looked down, distraught; the pain falling through, making the Fearlings only want Jack more.

"I can send you back, of course. Though for the sake of keeping things from being bumped into... you should return to the Time Palace and the room you were in. I'll take you there." Jack shivered.

"No, I can't go back... I don't deserve to." He sighed but he also knew he had to.

"I'll come with you." Jack stood up only to gasp in pain; it was like his entire body was on fire, that was the Fearlings’ poison, it was poisoning his body slowly.

"You are too hard on yourself. What happened wasn't pleasant, true, but that doesn't make you undeserving of the family you have."

 

 

 

 

"AND ATTACKING THEM WAS DESERVING?! NO IT WASN'T!" He snapped, making the Fearlings start to pace; impatiently waiting for it to be dark so that they may come out and ravish the gorgeous prey. Jack shivered.

"Can w-we go now?" He groans, feeling weaker than normal.

"Please can we go." Father Time gently took one arm in his hand, well aware of the Fearlings and that the day would soon come to a close... even with his power he didn't want to deal with them unless he had to.

"Once. You attacked the boy one time. Stop making it out to be that you attacked them all and all you really did was shake him up, it wasn't a full on attack and I know this because you could have done worse, are capable of it... but you didn't truly attack the boy so much as just get him out of your way by shaking him up. Jack sniffled, groaning a little; the poison grew worse and worse, but they were almost there. Jack followed Father Time to the mirror room.

"I hurt Bunny.... I hurt them. I can't simply say ‘hi, how you doing’ after that."

"No, I suppose not... but I don't think the lagomorph is going to hold it against you. You should try talking to them first before you make any decisions... but before I send you back there is the matter of that little bit of poison. Just hold still... this won't hurt... well, it won't hurt YOU anyway..." Father Time clicked his tongue a little and the poison appeared in the air after a moment before evaporating.

"There now, all clean. Ready?" Jack nodded, unsure but ready to go home to Mysterie and the family; maybe, then, he could... maybe, get used to his guilt.

"Good luck Jackson. One thing you might want to keep in mind though... Everyone is their own worst critic, and the worst judge on what it is they truly deserve." Father Time smiled a little before disappearing and Randy's irritated shout was heard echoing through the place.

 

"I could care less! You had no right to do that!" Jack coughed, shivering.

"Am I in the right time?" He looked about, following the yells before he just came out of the blue from behind a corner this time; looking around to make sure it was the right time. Randy stared, surprised a moment before he flew over to him and hugged Jack tight. He grunted, nearly falling over from the impact of the teen’s hug.

"Randy, oh hey." He said it as if he wasn't missing or in another timeline. Randy said nothing, a few happy tears slipping from him as he hugged him close; Jack grunted again, his body still cut up and stitches deep. The hug had opened them, time traveling hadn't gotten rid of them. Randy winces when he feels the blood.

"Moon... what the heck happened to you?" Randy re-closes the wounds, but he can't fully heal them like Mysterie can. Jack winces.

"Nothing you need to worry about." He stumbles past everyone else, heading back to that room again. He lay back gingerly falling asleep, dumbfounding everyone by what happened. While Jack sleeps Mysterie sees to fully healing his wounds and Jamie makes sure that he doesn't feel any pain before the two of them settle next to him, wrapping their arms around him; effectively making a Jack sandwich. Jack groaned in his sleep, snuggling in between, unaware either were sandwiching him. They held Jack close. He awoke the next morning; tossing and turning between Mysterie and Jamie, the Fearlings had given him poison, but Father Time took it out; whatever they did to Jack he now dreamed of them in nightmares, slowly shadowy inklings circled his head. Jamie and Mysterie wake, they do their best to beat back the Nightmares with their light. It doesn't work as planned as Jack awoke, yelling out; panting and holding his beating heart. He plops back on the pillow, sniffing and crying as the Fearlings left his body except one in which especially wanted Jack to turn and to feed on him for power. Mysterie don't notice those that leave, but she did notice the one that stuck around.

“Jack... I... I think something followed you back...” He groaned.

"What?" He didn't have time for freak out sessions, he just wanted to sleep, but he was afraid of giving the Fearling more power and control.

 

 

 

 

"What exactly happened to you? One doesn't just come back in stitches over 'nothing.' " Jamie says before Mysterie can. Jack ignores the question completely.

"Don't worry about it." He said instantly, yet again closing up.

“Jack, I don't like this... Not just because you won't talk about it... I just... have a bad feeling.”

"Bad feeling? Forget about it you've had enough of those." He said jokingly, but a hint of hatred in his voice to her and a flash of yellow in one eye proved something was really wrong with him. She frowns a little.

“Jack... I'm not going to ask what happened since you don't want to talk about it... but... WHAT is it you've brought with you?”

"Brought with me? What the hell are you talking about?!" He turns away only to meet Jamie's concerned gaze; he looked away and just hid into the pillows.

"Jack, this isn't like you. Something is different."

“No, something is dark is what.” He glared.

"Just leave me be." He snapped viciously, that yellow was more pronounced now.

"Nope, you're a sandwich now." Jamie says a little too cheerfully, having made sure he were stuck between them. He glared, struggling in between them, he made a ‘pop’ sound; flinging out of the sandwich to the floor.

"Freedom hooray!" Jack groans in pain. They both pick him, up, trapping him again.

"LET ME GO!" Jack’s eyes flashed that amber again in anger. Before either could respond, Father Time walked in with a slight frown.

"Thought I felt something that shouldn't belong." Jack grunted, holding his middle a little; he felt pain suddenly and felt something tell him to run. So he tried, he pushed Mysterie and Jamie away all at once then knocked Father Time down and flew through a mirror back to the world. Mysterie follows him, deeply concerned. Jack coughs, panting a little; the yellow was growing in his irises.

 **_"You don't need them."_ ** Jack jumped, looking around for the voice.

"Who are you?" The fearling almost laughed, this is too easy it thought.

 **_"Why I'm you, Jack, your conscience.”_ ** He shivered.

"My conscience?" He listened to the voice a few more minutes as he ran to the south pole. Mysterie follows him.

“Jack!” Jack looks, seeing Mysterie he backs up; the voice told him to run so he did. He flew and made fog in her way so she only lost the shadow shape of him as he flew and hid somewhere in a small village. She searches the village, using the bond to keep track of his whereabouts, calling out.

“Jack... please...” Jack shivered, something dark suddenly severs the bond; it was the Fearling and she knew that's what did it. Jamie shivers and teleports next to her.

"I'll find him. Go back to the others." She nods sadly. Jack shivered, a new feeling coming over him; seeing a child he feels a tugging sensation, one he’s never had before. To feed, to scare and eat this child’s fear; he shook his head.

"What the hell?!" He didn't even realize he was about to take this child, he was right behind the boy. Jamie grabs Jack before he can touch the child and teleports them away before the child is even aware the two of them are there. Jack struggles.

"LET ME GO!!!" He screamed, frustrated and confused; the Fearling snarled inside him in anger.

"No, not until this is dealt with."

"LET ME GO! I'M WARNING YOU!!" His voice deepened a little darkly. Jamie mutters.

"Sorry Jack..." He sends his power into him to take over influence to put Jack to sleep for the time being. Jack struggled, fighting the influence until eventually he couldn't fight it anymore and fell asleep; the Fearling was very pissed. Jamie takes Jack back to Father Time who nods thoughtfully when he sees them.

 

 

 

"Thought so... and like as not it's going to be stubborn. Leave him here and I'll get rid of it. It may take some time though." Jamie just nods, leaving Jack on the bed. Father Time settles in the empty chair nearby, weaving a time bubble first to ensure that it can't just escape and begins to weave his magic over time over Jack to pull the ticked off Fearling out. Well aware that it's not going to come out without a fight. It snarls.

"His body is mine!!" It screeched, hanging onto Jack’s memories and causing him pain; he cries out as it dug deeper into his body and soul, taking control of Jack completely. His eyes open, they were that amber yellow, the fearling laughed.

"You’re too late Time." Jack’s voice was scratchy and dark, not at all like Jack’s own; the shadows engulfed Time, making him see his worst fears before the Fearling tried to take off only to be stopped by the time bubble. The time bubble keeps the Fearling in the room, despite what Time saw; he shook his head.

"I'm not Father Time for nothing you know... you silly creature... There is no such thing as being too late when you control time itself." It snarled angrily, beating against the bubble.

"You'll never get his soul back, his body is mine now." Jack slowly started looking more like a Fearling child with grey skin, sharp teeth, black hair and his clothes looked faded; eyes bright as amber.

"He’s mine now."

"He's not a child. You can't hold him forever you know. You can try... but your hold is more weak than if he had been a true child." The magic from Father Time slowly reverses the effects, pulling the Fearling out... it's not easy though and the Fearling is obviously trying to fight. It screeched and held onto Jack, still inside him; half out though. Jack cried and screamed, struggling as the Fearling, again, would not let go. No matter how much it would fight, it was inevitable that the time magic would separate it from Jack, but as he'd told Jamie... the process would take time. Jack yelled, arched and struggled inside the bubble as the Fearling was putting up one hell of a fight.

"His mind is mine, his body is mine, his soul... his fear and pain is mine!" The Fearling yelled and laughed evilly.

"Yeah... you just keep thinking that." The magic slowly pulled it out a little bit more. It was struggling alright, but Father Time was the most patient spirit around. In the end... he would win out. It screeched as it finally lost its grip; Jack arched and screamed bloodily as if Father Time had just ripped out his beating heart, he panted as the thing flailed in the time magic’s grip. Father Time smiles a little.

"Time to go back where you came from." He chuckles a little at his own, poor, joke before the magic of time sends the Fearling back in time, back to where it had come from.


	15. The Boy and the Fearling

Jack panted, shaking, and shivering as his body hurt like pure fire, aching and burning. He looked around achingly.

"Jamie? Mysterie? Randy?" He coughed, not able to say much more.

"Easy now. You've had a rough day."

"What happened to me?" He said tiredly; Randy, Luke, Brianna and Noah were yelling at Jamie to let them in the room. Mysterie interferes, calming the kids and sending them off while Jamie and she enter the room as Father Time answers.

"A Fearling latched onto you from the past, nasty bastard. I sent it back though.” Jack was drowsy and groggy, but in so much pain it nearly felt like he was dying. Jamie makes an attempt to ease the pain as he settles next to Jack.

"Oh God... what happened to me?"

"As I said, a Fearling latched onto you. It tried to take you over, though since you're an immortal, and not a child, you're a very poor host." Jack coughed.

"I... I almost killed or took fear from a child though.." He recalled the last time he was awake with it inside him.

"It didn't seem that way... Jamie?"

"Almost, but there's nothing that can keep me from finding you." Jamie replies.

"Yes... well... I'll leave you to recover." Father Time leaves the room. Jack sighed.

"Let’s go see the kids before they start a riot." Jamie chuckles a little, but doesn't leave his side; leaving Mysterie to shepherd the group into the room. Jack smiles.

"Hey kids, what’s happening?" He tries to sound ok even though his body is in unbearable pain. The kids group around him, each taking turns in giving him hugs and kisses; he patted, hugged and kissed back.

"I'm ok, I'm ok."

"And hippos fly. Come on dad, we know that must have hurt." Randy comments. Jack yips as he was in pain and lay back down, not able to sit up; he held his heart.

"Yeah, you’re right on pain, son; I felt like Father Time ripped out my heart." Jamie is able to ease the pain but only somewhat. Jack sighed tiredly, unknown to them all the Fearlings had found father Time's mirror and are now bursting through, hungry for Jack’s blood but they smelled others too. They only hungered for Jack’s blood as they’d tasted it first. Father Time walked over to the mirror.

"Huh. Guess I left the rift open. " He uses his time magic to send them back to their original time and closes the gateway behind them. One escaped, the same one from before; it left undetected.

"Jack will be mine." It snickered it had a taste of Jack and it wanted him. Neither Mysterie nor Jamie noticed but someone else did. He snuck up on the thing from the shadows and captured it. None of them had any idea one of their children had taken an interest in the thing and now had it trapped. It screeched in surprise.

 

"What do you want?" It hissed in the glass jar that was it's prison. It looked tiny, like a little baby Fearling with sharp teeth and the head of a wolf. The soft smile on the boy’s lips spoke of ill for the little thing.

"I want to know everything...."

"Know what?" It growled, but then looked curious at the boy before it.

"Why so interested? Wouldn't your parents be mad?"

"Perhaps, but what they don't know can't hurt them..." His chuckle is reminiscent of that of the Puppet Master from the future, the one that had been changed. The young teen took off towards his home with the thing in his grasp. He had made his home from an abandoned laboratory that was skirted because people thought it haunted. It was the perfect place for experiments and when done he would know all there was about this Fearling.... The fearling struggled in the other’s grasp.

"I only came back for your father, child."

 

"I know, but you really should not have come back at all...." It struggled more and more.

"Let me go, impudent child!" it snarled.

"Not until I have my answers... and if you're good I might let you live when I'm done." It glared angrily at the boy. He simply smiled as he began the experiments, simple tests that were hardly cruel in any way... yet.

 

Jack was having a nightmare, of exactly what Noah was doing.

"No, don't! It's... it's a Fearling, don't..." He grunted, shivering; falling out of bed Jack yelped.

"Jack? You okay?" Jamie murmurs, he'd fallen asleep on the other side of the bed.

"Where's Noah?" Jack needed to stop him, that Fearling was dangerous if it escaped. Jamie shrugged a little.

"Last I knew he was with his sister, talking with Mother Nature. The four have been asking her all sorts of questions since Pitch let the cat out of the bag of being related to you."

 

It yelped in pain at the simple bit of sunlight.

"What do you want from me boy!?!" It snarled savagely.

"I already told you that." He muttered, slightly annoyed. The next experiments would be completely opposite, invoking pleasure rather than pain in the thing... or at least they would be geared to. The fearling snarled, backing away from the watery stuff... or what looked like a purple liquid in a needle; it hissed.

"I will kill you with your fathers hands when I get out of here you disgusting brat." It hissed again.

"Oh, but you won't. See, Father Time was gracious enough to answer my questions about containing creatures like you. Even if father stood right next to you... you wouldn't be able to go inside him. Simple magics really. I've thought of everything and likely more that your little mind hasn't. You're not going anywhere unless I allow it." He sticks the thing with the needle.

 

"Help me find him; he has something that not supposed to be here, a Fearling." Jack growled out.

"What?! I thought Father Time got rid of that thing!" Jamie is alarmed and alerts Mysterie.

 

It screeches angrily before suddenly going limp and screeching at Noah, natural mating tendencies now kicking in; it hit the glass violently, it needed to share its pleasure. That’s all its little mind was thinking now because of the stuff.

 

"Noah." Jack could sense the boy and was following that feeling towards the boy. He gasped in pain suddenly; his body hadn't even fully healed yet and he crashed into the ceiling of the abandoned laboratory. Noah makes notes, but looks up when Jack crashes through the ceiling, quirking an eyebrow. He was pretty sure that this place was off the map... then again there was always the matter of the family bond...

"You shouldn't overwork yourself father." He leaves the Fearling to bounce around in its cage though to ease its pleasured torture he teleports a live mouse into the "cage" with it. He wasn't a monster after all. He moves over to Jack, concern flashing in his eyes.

"Noah what were you thinking? That's a Fearling not a lab experiment and I need you to give it to me; I have to send it back where it came from." The mouse was in pure utter pleasure and pain, it squeaked.

"I know what it is. That's why I took it." Noah replies as he helps Jack up. He looked at his son wide eyed.

"You can't keep it son, hand it over. It has to be disposed of it can't be in this timeline." The creature roared angrily at Noah; it wanted Jack so bad it hit the jar, nearly tipping it over.

"It's not hurting anything." Noah pouted, moving over to the little jar and picking it up so that it wouldn't tip itself over. It growled, Jack glared at the jar.

 

"But Noah, it’s dangerous; we have to send it back. It’s bad for the timeline as well." He took the jar from him, the Fearling was ecstatic. He sighs.

"Oh, alright. You might want to ice the jar though before Josh gets too excited, thinking he can escape."

"Josh?" Jack looked at him, confused; the Fearling growled at Noah.

"Had to call him something didn't I? Plus he didn't remember his name from before."

"This thing isn't a pet Noah its a fear soul eating parasite that turns others into it its evil!" Jack ices the jar, but the Fearling growled and struggled in the jar; keeping it too warm now for Jack to keep it iced.

"Yeah... well... I was only considering keeping him alive... I didn't promise I would. I just wanted to know all about it. I mean, there aren't any free roaming ones in this time... Whenever was I going to get another chance to study one? I'm pretty sure the last few left aren't just going to hand themselves over... I doubt great grandpa would concede to that." Jack sighed, glaring at Noah but his eyes softened on him before he groaned.

"I know I'm gonna regret this." He hands over the jar.

"Don't let it out, don't listen to it, and do not feed it. Now come with me, your mother and Jamie need to know that you're ok." Jack said tiredly as "Josh" banged against the glass.

"Thanks dad. Don't worry, I took all the precautions Father Time told me about to keep him contained. Worst case he'll just be bouncing about the lab. I made sure of it. He can't get out of this place and I made extra sure he couldn't get into you again." He shuddered a little.

"Once of feeling that was TOO much." He set the jar down on the table, surrounding it with books so that "Josh" couldn't tip the glass over while he was gone. He then followed Jack out of the lab. The fearling snarled angrily at Noah.

 

Jack smiled as they returned to their temporary room at the Time Palace.

"Here he is, I found him; he was just reading." He announced to everyone, lying completely on the reading part. Jamie raised an eyebrow at that, he wasn't sure he completely bought that especially considering what he remembered Jack saying earlier; Mysterie didn't seem to care though, if she knew.

“Well, at least we know where he is now.” Noah looks a little sheepish.

"Didn't mean to worry anyone." Jack was more tired then everyone today, his energy was low again; he still needed to rest to fully recover. Noah put a hand on his shoulder, indicating in his quiet way that he should get some more rest.

"I'm taking a nappy, see you all at dinner." He grunts as his bones also ached from that fall into the lab.

“Alright.” Jamie nods a little and the rest of them nod as well, they sit in the room talking; though Noah does more listening, as usual, than actually talking.

 

"Josh" growls as he attacks the jar angrily.

"How the hell do I get out of here!!" It screeches.

 

Jack tosses and turns in his sleep, shaking and shivering; it was that dream again of Noah and the Fearling; this time the Fearling was free and Noah was holding it in his hands, his eyes were a deep purple.

"Noah.... no..."


	16. Nightmares

Sensing the troubled dream, Jamie goes into the room; he struggles with the resulting nightmare, he worried about Noah too, but Noah was smart. He would have set up precautions for that. Jack whimpered, the dream was changing to the experiments.

"Noah stop, it’s going to escape!" He cried out, struggling in the blankets and Jamie; thinking something was holding him down he screamed. Jamie wondered about the odd dreams, they seemed almost prophetic... but Jack's never shown a tendency for that before. Although he figured these were more just his fears for young Noah as he did his best to fight them back.

 

At some point Noah slips away again to return to the laboratory and Josh.

"Now then, I simply have some questions for you. If you are good you'll be rewarded, if not... well I don't think I have to explain that do I?" It snarled angrily at Noah.

"Just ask your damn questions."

 

Jack squirms, struggling more and more; this time Noah was fighting with Jamie, strangely both eyes were purple, it looked like Jamie had become the Puppetmaster. Jamie enters the dream itself to scatter it, not having much luck being on the outside. Jack struggled in the dream as he was trapped in Noah’s clutches; there was a fight.

"He's mine." Noah’s voice sounded deeper, angrier.... Jack’s mind came to the worst conclusion... ‘a fearling’s in my son.’ Jamie fought to scatter the dream as he had done when Jack had nightmares of the torture he'd faced. Shattering the image of the two figures, though it took some effort to do so before he went searching for him.

"Jack?"

 

"First, I want to know what you remember from the very first time you came to be. So, where were you born? Start there please." The the thing glared but was surprised the boy asked that; no one or thing ever asked it that it sat back as if it were thinking.

"Well, I was born from another Fearling it scared me 'til... well, it ate my soul and that was back in the earlier 1400's... in the so called Golden Age, around the time Father Time came to be on this planet; we are born from pure fear, pain, everything that hurts or dark emotions." Noah listened, producing a book to jot down some quick notes; listening intently to what the Fearling had to say. Genuine interest in the boy's eyes.

 

Jack shivered, he was stuck in the pond; entrapped in his own center, he whined, crying. He looked like a younger Jack. Jamie sighs a little when he finds him and pulls him out of the pond.

"There now, it's okay." Jack shivers, holding onto Jamie like a small child; Cecil climbed out of a nearby tree.

"What’s going on?" Jamie glances over to Cecil.

"Nightmares, concerning one of our children."

 

The Fearling sighed.

"And then there’s Pitch; hated him, was very disrespectful in his power over us." It whined.

"I'm so hungry, I need fear; I need it to survive."

"If you needed fear to survive you wouldn't be here now." Noah replies evenly as he jots down some notes. The fearling growled.

"I answered your question, now let me out." Noah clicks his tongue.

"I said I might let you live, I never said anything about letting you out. I'd like to know more about this enemy Pitch was so determined to bring down. What do you know?" It snarled and just sat there.

"No more, I'm not answering anymore questions."

"Hmmmm." Noah seemed thoughtful.

 

 

 

 

 

Jack cried into Jamie's shoulder.

"Those um ... Jamie, those weren't nightmares, those were future visions; I didn't think Jack told you, but he can see the future at some points in time. Strangely, especially when near Father Time."

"Yes, he failed to mention that. Though I can't imagine Noah being as stupid as the visions have shown." He nods.

"Do you know what's going on?" 

"Not really, but all I know is that... well he's keeping a fearling; he's interested in it; Jack caught him but he let him keep it. But I fear as well as Jack that his vision... that it’s going to escape." Jack groans.

"No more, please no more."

"A valid fear, but I would think that if Jack allowed him to keep the thing that he would also have faith that our son knows what he's doing. I can't say I don't share the fears of the visions, but I highly doubt such will come to pass."

 

Noah was silent for a good long while before asking.

"Where's that mouse I gave you earlier?" It quivered.

"Uh, I got hungry."

 

Jack quivered.

"Jamie, I'm scared."

"I know hun." Jamie murmurs but nods and moves over to Cecil with Jack in his arms. Jamie sighs, holding Jack close. this wasn't the first time something had scared Jack badly.... though this was the first time he'd done it to himself....

 

"So then you eat meat." Noah makes another note. He transfers a tomato into the glass next just to see if the thing will do anything with it. It engulfs it, then spits it out.

"Yuck! Trying to poison me?!"

"If I were you'd be dead." Noah remarks, removing the tomato to try other various fruits and vegetables, making notes all the while. It liked starfruit very much.

"mmm MMM" It growled, ripping into it like the various meats; meat was cleaned and only bone was left when he gave it such, it loved meat.

 

Jack whined when he awoke, shivering.

"Noah, I have to stop Noah." He said weakly, sitting up. Jamie sighed, he'd only do that if he really needed to. Jamie soothed the pain from the thrashing Jack had done.

"Here now, I think maybe we should move you away from Father Time for the time being. You're not going to get any rest otherwise it seems."

"Jamie, I have to send that fearling away."

 

“Feel better now that you've eaten?" Noah asks once the thing is finished with the starfruit. he'd removed all evidence of anything else, just in case. It nods and rolls around as if like flubber. Noah makes note of its movements.

"That will be all for today. I will be back tomorrow." Noah leaves it a starfruit in the jar for later and leaves the laboratory only after double checking the wards and the spells to keep the thing inside the lab.

"NOAH WAIT!" Noah pauses a little and turns to the Fearling.

"Something you wanted?" The fearling sighed.

"No." It looked sad and bored, but Jack’s words hit Noah heavily ‘it will try anything to escape, do not listen to it.’ Noah wasn't buying the act. He had a scientific mind, didn't mean he couldn't feel but he was very pragmatic about his approach to this Fearling. He left the thing alone.

 

 

 

 

"Let me deal with it then, I can just as easily take it to Father Time as you can and I don't really want you near that thing." Jamie ruffles his hair a little, affectionately. Jack whimpered, his head hurt; everything hurt. Luke was just coming in to see him when he heard the whimpering.

"Dad are you ok?"

"He hurt himself from a Nightmare. Hit the headboard of the bed I think." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the full truth either.

"Oh, ok; anyways mom says its dinner time." Jack winced, his head pounded. He held it in pain as another vision was coming through.

"Alright then." Jack sighed tiredly, dinner was very awkward; he would glance at Noah every now and then and Noah would just stare back as well. At times Jack would hold his head gently, sometimes he would just space out during it. Noah didn't say anything verbally, but he was concerned and gently touched the bond.

 _"Is there something troubling you?"_ He knew that no one else likely knew about the Fearling so he spoke over the bond, just in case. Jack responded with a ‘i'm fine just drained’ response as he ate; still twitching, feeling like the room was closing in on him. Noah keeps his expression neutral, but the mental tone says he's not buying it.

 _"Feelings of claustrophobia do not count as "fine" dad."_ Jack looks at him, slightly freaked he could figure that out so easily; even without the bond he had with Jamie and Mysterie, he lay his head on the table holding his head. He groaned, the visions hurt more than the feeling of being in a box. Noah sighs over the bond.

_"Dad, I can sense it... I imagine everyone else can too but for whatever reasons they are thinking they seem to be saying nothing."_

_"I'm fine, really."_ He grunts.

_"Who are you trying to fool?"_

_"No one, ok... just don't say anything ok? I'm fine, really."_ He said with finality, and just winced eating his first bite of taco. At the end of dinner Jack nearly choked, his stomach hurt so bad he nearly cried. Jamie did his best to help, but it was difficult to do more than ease the pain slightly. Noah sighs over the bond again.

_"I won't say anything, but you really should."_

"Um I'm gonna go for a walk." He leaves the table and a concerned family to watch his retreating form. They look at one another.

"Dad’s not ok." No one was sure who spoke but everyone was thinking it.

"Mom, um dad seems a little off... he's shaking a lot and twitching; I'm worried." Brianna spoke later that evening.

“I am too.” It seemed a common thing as of late; it would have been a lie though to say that she or Jamie weren’t used to it though; they had weathered a lot before their first child had even been an idea. Even with the many threats from darkness, their family, one most humans would declare to be sinful and wrong... had stood steadfast. Even their greatest fears come to life and their darkest sides come to light, the three of them still loved one another. Despite his moods and unwillingness to ever ask them for help in any form... Jamie and Mysterie still loved Jack.


	17. A Second

Jamie follows Jack, sending reassurances towards the kids and Mysterie. hoping that things will be alright... Jack shivered, twitching his head every once in a while; one eye is twitching constantly as he walks. Jamie catches up to him, walking with him but not saying anything; unsure of what to say. He nearly slapped Jamie after he went through another vision trip; he winced and groaned, walking a little faster. The eye twitched again, back to the rapid movement the more nervous he was. Jamie ducks back from the blow.

"Easy there."

"I'm fine, just go stay with the kids ok?" He is breathing kind of heavy as he literally speed walked the halls. Jamie didn't though, this time he teleported the two of them off to Antarctica. Jack struggled with the sudden scene change.

"Jamie, what the hell?!" He slapped him but immediately regretted it.

"Sorry."

"Figured you could use a little break from there. Seemed like a good place to go." He barely reacts to the slap, though it does sting a little. Jack sighed.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." His voice faint as he sways a little bit. Jamie steadies him, not arguing back knowing it's pointless but also knowing he’s not fine. Jack groans a little.

"Let’s just... let’s just... I don’t know; maybe if I lay down... I'll be fine."

"Do you want me to take you back to the castle?" His tone gentle. He shakes his head only to end up holding it again; it was the same vision over and over.

"No, I... I need to destroy that fearling is what!"

"I'll take care of it. You just rest, okay?" Jamie teleports to the lab then that he’d seen in the nightmare.

 

The fearling was just sucking on the starfruit growling angrily.

"Annoying brat, when I get out of here I'm killing him first... that is if I get Jack’s body back."

"Don't bet on it." Jamie approaches the jar. It glares at him.

"What do you want? It’s bad enough I got your brat of a kid poking and prodding me."

"Nothing much. Just going to send you back where you came from." He picks up the jar and teleports back to the Time Palace where he isn't surprised to see that Father Time is waiting for him.

"Here... make sure it STAYS where it belongs this time." Father Time only nods and opens up a small time portal, just big enough to drop the jar into and then seals it up.

 

Jack shivered in pain, his dreams weren't disrupted  but a vision of the changing future; an argument, a fight, and crying.

 

Jamie goes off to find Noah, knowing the child wouldn't be pleased to have lost his "pet" project, but it was simply too big of a risk and he was done with dealing with such.

 

Mysterie had tracked Jack down to the icy cavern he’d taken shelter in to try and help soothe him.

"My head..." Jack whimpers and grunts as the vision came through again, more violently.

“Jack.... You ok?” He winced, his eyes became black and his pupils were large.

"Jamie and Noah are fighting." The monotone reply was a bit scary. She sighs.

“Well that's a first I guess. Bound to happen.” Undeterred by the change in Jack’s eyes, she  wraps her arms around him.  

 

Noah was reading a book thinking on experiments to do with the Fearling in the library of the Time Palace.

"Son, we need to talk.” Even as he spoke, Jamie wasn’t looking forward to this.

"Yeah what?" Still reading the book, he had yet to look up.

"Put the book down. This is serious. I had to do something you aren't going to like. "

 

"Do what, dad?" He set the book down, glaring a little, not liking where this conversation was going.

"I had to dispose of your project. It was too dangerous to keep around. "

"YOU WHAT!!" His eyes darkened towards purple a little.

"No, no you didn't... I had so many questions for that thing! I was getting results! It hadn't done anything! I had wards it was safe!!" He screamed, he’d wanted answers from it. Jamie waits until he finished, his tone still even as he spoke.

"I know but like I said. Too dangerous. Even with every precaution. "

"You... you can't tell me what to do! IT’S NOT DANGEROUS! I WAS SAFE! WHY?! WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT!! I'M NOT A BABY ANYMORE!!" He screamed in Jamie’s face, eyes purple as Puppet Master’s now. Jamie sighs.

"Because it was hurting your father even without being in him. I am NOT going to just sit back when that can be easily dealt with, ESPECIALLY with the danger it posed to you and the rest of this family." He replied coldly. At that second Noah snapped.

"WELL MAYBE YOU SHOULD PROTECT YOURSELF!!" He roared, waves of power oozed off of him as he floated up; eyes a bright violet, the chairs and furniture around the room also floated up. An explosion of power slammed into Jamie, tossing him out the window and shattering the glass. Jamie barely recovered from the blow. What under the sun had gotten into the boy?! Noah followed suit, sending blasts of power at Jamie; purple energy that was similar to Jamie's own power, but at the same time not.

"I CAN PROTECT MYSELF AND YOU RUIN EVERYTHING!!" He screeched, tossing Jamie around the air like a ragdoll. Jamie almost didn't fend off the damage from his blows. Suddenly a flash of light blinds Noah and when his vision returns he finds his twin, Brianna, staring at him and she is furious.

"What the HELL is WRONG with you?! Attacking your own flesh and blood over some "pet project"?! Have you lost your mind?!" He growled, he just wanted to kill Jamie and that was that. Unknown to them was that the mouse that had disappeared was a fearling mouse with the essence of the original, which meant Noah had unintentionally freed the original and it had taken control of him. Noah snarled.

"Get out of my way Brianna." His power rolled off him.

 

Jack cried violently as the vision of what was happening was coming true.

"Mysterie, please take me to them now!" He cried out in pain, it hurt very much. She nods and gathers him into her arms, whisking them both towards the others through her sand.

 

"This isn't like you!" Brianna called back, worried for her father and her twin.

"Keep back, all of you." Jamie warned as Luke and Randy appeared. Jamie had sensed it, the dark entity in his son.

"But-" Brianna began to protested

"No! Listen to me, you need to keep back." Jamie wiped a bit of blood from his nose from the first unexpected attack. He growled at the thing he sensed.

"Give me back my boy..." It snickered darkly.

"So you figured it out did you?" The illusion faded to reveal his skin is grey as the fearling was sharp teeth and hair black as night; eyes that bright violet still.

"He's mine now!" He sniffed the air.

"Smells like my dinner’s here." Jack nearly gagged at the scene when he and Mysterie appeared from the sand.

"No NOAH!!"

“Oh my God.... Noah...” Mysterie thought she was going to be sick... She was also furious.

“You give me back my baby!” It snickered, laughing darkly then its eyes landed on Jack.

"Jack," Jack was going through many emotions, mostly pain, sadness, fury and fear. "so delicious your fear is." The thing laughed, before the blink of an eye it had grabbed and wrapped Jack in dark energy wisps of purple. Brianna and the other children were tossed back by a burst of power; Brianna slammed into the ground, yelling in pain as her leg broke on the fall. Jamie was slammed into the wall of the Time Palace repeatedly by forces from nowhere while Mysterie was held down by gravity itself it seemed. Jack  screamed and cried in pain as the fearling was sucking him, dry turning Jack into another fearing.

"Noah! I know you’re in there, please don't do this!" Jack winced as the tendrils wrapped around him tighter and he noticed his skin turning that grey color; like his, he was filling Jack with fear, pain and hate. A burst of light made the fearling cry out, but it wasn't from Mysterie... or Randy... or Brianna... or Jamie... not even from Noah.... it was Luke...

"Leave my father and brother alone you sadistic bastard." Jack gasped, looking at Luke in shock.

"LUKE!!" Jack grunted feeling more pain suddenly it made him cry out as the other snarled; dropping Jamie who was quite injured but not releasing Mysterie.  

"Hello my little brother." He snickered evilly to cover his shock because it should not be possible that Luke could fight....

"Looks like you had powers after all." Darkness swirled around Noah.

"Let’s see you start laughing now." Before Luke could comprehend what he meant he was engulfed the purple power making him immobile from the power of puppetry, much like what Jamie could use, and then tossed around like a ragdoll. Noah roundhouse kicked Luke and grabbed him by the throat.

"LET HIM GO NOAH, STOP!!" Jack cried. Luke struggles for a moment against it through the short ordeal before he manages to break the power.

"Oh... you're good... but see, you're not my brother... and you're not father... Only my brother knew I wasn't as helpless as I seemed. Yes, Mother Nature took away my power... but not all of it... she locked a part of it away really. A part my brother unlocked for me years ago. Something you wouldn't know because you're too busy trying to feed from fear to ever question." Luke smirks a little, his eyes become a stormy dark blue as he summons his powers. Noah snarls, eyes darkening as well before floating there sucking in all the darkness around; making the area pitch black and pure energy surrounded his knuckles.

"Die." He whispered, a screech went through Luke breaking eight rib bones. Jack yelled in pain as Noah’s power sucked power from him. Just as Noah had been gathering energy, so had Luke, he encased Noah in a block of ice, freezing his brother inside as well as the Fearling. Breaking the thing's power over everyone else. Luke sighs a little, the ice was nevermeltice.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this brother." The fearling glared angrily at Luke, being forced to drop Jack who panted in pain, wincing and shivering. Jack felt so cold, only one half of him  was turned fearling. The ice glowed and shook with a purple aura before there was a deafening crack and it exploded. Noah snarled rammed into the surprised Luke hard, breaking his arm and taking some of his power even as he stabbed him over and over and over with a blade of dark energy.

"LUKE!!" Jack yelled struggling to get up to help only attracting the fearling’s attention.

"Well, well looks like you're not all fearling yet now huh dad?" Jack whimpered, backing away.

"Yes, yes... keep crying, whimpering, screaming... it’s delicious fear." He snickered, leaving the stricken Luke and moving towards Jack.

"Mysterie... Jamie..." He moved back, scooting away as the other slowly walked towards him; snickering and laughing.

"There’s nowhere to run Jack, you’re all mine."


	18. To Kill a Fearling

Sand blasted Noah back, but it wasn't from any of the group... the other Guardians had appeared to help and they ringed around Jack, protecting him while the rest of were struggling to recover.

"Oh, they joined the party." He snickered evilly.

"You’re outpowered here Guardians." Darkness engulfed the Guardians, making Tooth, Sandy, North and Bunny immobile long enough for the pain to really sink into Jack’s level of pain at that moment. Sandy was the first to recover, having been made into Pitch's sand. he'd more than enough experience to not let it bother him for long, his eyes gleamed with power and he blasted the darkness away from the other Guardians, shaking a finger at Noah as if to say 'Nuh uh.' The fearling growled angrily, slashing the Guardian to pieces; North was slammed into Tooth after Noah kicked him; Bunny was having an even harder time protecting Jack from the tendrils of darkness that were trying to worm its way inside him.

"Bunny... do m-me a favor." Jack wheezed, he was in a lot of pain.

"I'll do ya one mate." Bunny snatched Jack up and dove into a tunnel to escape the tendrils. It had been centuries since he'd tangled with someone who was fearling possessed and yet not a fearling themselves.... Pitch not included. The other growled angrily at the escape.

"No matter, I still have control in his nightmares." Noah smiled.

"It’s been fun Guardians but I have a frost spirit to catch." He melded into the nearest shadow and disappeared.

 

Jack wheezed into Bunny's chest as he raced through the tunnels.

"Protect Brianna, Randy and Luke from Noah, but.... don't h-hurt N-N-Noah. He doesn't know what he's doing." Jack coughs up blood at the end of it, his body burned all over.

"Yeah... I know mate... been a long time Jackie... It really has..." Bunny murmurs as he races through the tunnel to the Warren, he darted into the hut. Knowing that even if the fearling-controlled spirit managed to make it into the Warren that he'd not be able to make it past the special barrier Bunny had around the hut. He sets Jack into a nest that is softer than it looks.

"Ye know... wasn't until a day or so ago I was reminded of somethin' thanks ta Tooth." Jack shivered.

"And what was it you remembered?" He looked at Bunny with pained eyes, big, innocent and fragile. The barrier outside the Warren explodes inward.

"JACKIE I'M HOME!" The creature called, Jack yelled in pain; the connection over the bond was made with Noah, the creature used it to make Jack feel pain and steal energy from him.

"Bunny, please don't hurt him." He went unconscious. Bunny didn't have time to answer since Jack had seemed to faint; rolling his eyes at the creature, he dug into his closet... they had time, the barrier would keep the creature out so that it couldn't finish what it had begun; when Jack awoke, Bunny was still in the hut, rubbing some sort of odd liquid over his limbs that left a strange tingling sensation, like when one had a numb limb that was just regaining sensation but not painfully so, as it gently purified the darkness left by the Fearling.

"What happened?" He winced.

"Where's Noah?" He sat bolt upright after thinking about the boy.

"Easy there Jackie... he's outside. Still. I ain't left ya ta deal with him yet. I wager he'll be gettin' right impatient about now, been trying to draw you out... me out... bust the barrier... I wanted ta see to you first... and ya did ask me about what I remembered. Didn't get a chance ta tell ya I remembered a vague thing. Seems some time back I came across a rather confused spirit who thought I should know him." Bunny gives Jack a soft smirk even as he finishes rubbing the liquid in.

"There now, that should do the trick. Ya should be right as rain soon enough."

"Bunny... you remembered..." Jack looked at him with wide eyes. He’d thought the rabbit would forget about him in the timeline before he first came to be the Easter Bunny. The fearling snarled, attacking the barrier; trying countless spells and ways to sway it to break, but nothing was working.

 

 

 

 

"Yeah, hard ta forget when there's only about three spirits around. Tooth was talking about remembering seeing spirits for the first time an' I remembered tha first time I saw you was long before ya ruined Easter... never 'cord ta me yer confusion was cuz ya was outta time. Speakin' of outta time... think it's time ta put that bugger back where he belongs... Been too long since I had ta use this sort of stuff. Ya sit tight. I promise Noah will be fine when I'm done mate... but I can't promise it won't hurt. These things usually do."

"Bunny, please be careful." The fearling snickered, using the voice of Noah to mess with Jack.

"Daddy, why do you wanna hurt me?" Jack grunted and cried hard.

"I DON'T NOAH! WE'RE TRYING TO HELP YOU!!" The fearling snickered, there was a crack at the barrier...

"And I know you don't love me! You're just gonna lock me away forever!" Jack covered his ears, the voice... it was killing him and giving the fearling power to use. The crack in the barrier, of course, was a carefully laid trap.... if the fearling took it... it'd find itself immobilized.

"Don't let it get to ya mate! That's how they steal yer life force!" Bunny calls as he moves from the hut. It didn't look like he was armed, but to think that the Pooka was defenseless would be a mistake.

"Dad!" Jack shook from pain then fear... then anger. There was a deafening crack but it did not break everything went silent. Jack shivered.

"Bunn-" There was a crash and the door to the hut exploded.

"HAHA! There you are!" Jack yelled in pain as the darkness sunk in but stopped suddenly; Jack noticed Noah shaking.

"Noah?" It screamed in pain.

"ACK! WHAT DID YOU DO?! I CAN'T MOVE!!" Bunny smirked as he limped over.

"Little trick I learned way back. Simple paralysis spell, but very potent. Works for about 24 hours. Figured ya'd take tha bait." The fearling snarled angrily struggling against the spell uselessly.

"You bastard rabbit! What did you do!" The thing growled, trying to attack the lagomorph as Jack hid a bit, he whined; the fear rolling off Jack made the other laugh in hunger.

"Relax Jackie, it can't hurt ya none." Bunny walked over to the frozen thing and pulled out from behind his back a small jar.

"Time ta see if this stuff lasts as long as Fatha’ Time says that it does.” The fearling growled, yelling and cursing mostly at Jack and Bunny; it latched its purple eyes onto Jack’s blue, growling.

"YOU CAN'T ESCAPE ME JACK! I WILL BE BACK! JUST NOT IN THE TIME I WAS, BUT IN YOUR TIME!" It laughed crazily as Jack whimpered.

"See, that's where you're wrong mate. This stuff here purifies yer darkness... so we're not sending you anywhere. We're disposin' of ya." Bunny says as he rubs the ointment on Noah's skin. The darkness curled in tighter into Noah until he was screaming painfully, glowing with the dark essence that, like burning embers, was leaving Noah’s body much as it had left his own earlier. Jack cried, hiding into Bunny’s fur, not able to even look as he heard Noah scream bloody murder until finally the fearling was destroyed. His skin it's normal parlor now and his eyes back to green. Noah looked at Jack with a faint smile before collapsing; Jack ran over to him, holding his head.

"Noah, oh God my baby." Jack hugged him close. Bunny smiles a little as he secures the cap on the liquid and leaves the room to leave the two of them alone.

"I'm... sorry I didn't... listen." Noah murmured weakly. He hugged Noah close.

"Oh Noah..." Jack shivered, crying and hugging his baby boy. He smiles a little while Bunny is off making him something to drink to help speed up the healing in his kitchen.

"Oh God Noah... I thought I lost you."

"A good thing ya discovered the fearling when ya did. ‘Nother day or so and ya might have. Them things are nasty, ta say the least. Here, this'll help get ya some energy back." Bunny holds the drink up to him and Noah makes a face after the first sip.

"Does it have to be so sour?"

 

 

 

 

 

"Better than its original taste mate. Trust me." He nods and drinks the rest of it down; Jack shivers, hugging his knees; just trying to process that he has Noah back and he's fine, but the things the fearling made him think... it made him hate himself that he would think that. Noah sighs a little when Bunny leaves and mutters.

"Stop. Just stop... please... I know what you're thinking." Jack winced, looking up at Noah.

"It’s my fault; I let you keep that thing in the first place."

"Maybe so... but I'm the one who didn't listen to you when you told me not to feed it and you didn't want me to keep it in the first place."

"Yeah, but its not your fault, anything but." He sighs.

"It wasn't your fault. I should have been suspicious when the mouse I gave it disappeared." Jack hugs Noah close.

"Great, how am I to explain this to your mother?"

"I donno.... but considering she's managed to put up with you for this long... something tells me you'll be fine." He murmurs with a slight smile; Jack nods, shivering; he coughs and collapses suddenly from lack of energy. Bunny comes back in only to roll his eyes.

"Ya ain't changed a bit Jackie..."

"Where'd you come up with that name?"

"It's what I thought of first time I met your dad... centuries before his own time. Guess Father Time thought it a great joke to send him back that far fer whatever reason. Anyway, guess better get you two to bed. I'll say this though... ya both as stubborn as rocks." Noah just chuckles a little at that as Bunny carries Jack back to the nest to sleep before coming back for him, tucking Noah into the nest next to him.

"Now ya get some rest ya hear?"

"Sure." Noah yawned and promptly went to sleep. The next morning was murder for Jack to wake up to.

"Ugh, what train hit me?"

"The one I was driving... or driving me..." Noah muttered with a yawn. Jack sighed.

"Both." He hugged Noah close.

"You hungry kiddo?" It was the old nickname he used for Jamie when he’d been younger, it was only fitting for him since he looked like Jamie, only shorter, and with Jack’s build.


	19. Unexpected

Noah groaned a little at that before replying.

"Not yet... but I imagine I will be soon enough. You know this thing is softer than it looks..."

"Yeah." His tone held his weariness in it; he winced, the light from outside was hurting his eyes so he frosted the window to darken the room a bit and block it out. The room is quiet, Noah yawns silently as he gazes about the room. There isn't much to it other than the nest itself and a door that leads to a closet or at least looks like it might. Jack coughed, shivering.

"I feel so warm, not good warm either."

"There's a good war- never mind. I probably don't want to know." Noah sighs a little while Bunny comes in with an ice pack and settles it on Jack’s forehead. The ice pack melts under his temperature instantly and he coughs, shivering.

"Too hot."

"Kinda noticed... geez Jackie... Hang on a tic..." He picks him up and hops off through the Warren, to a part that isn't used to dye eggs and he plunges himself and Jack under a waterfall that's cold. Not arctic cold, but cold enough; like taking a cold bath. The water steams and boils at the touch of Jack’s skin, it wasn't cold enough.

"I know I'm gonna regret this..." Bunny groans before making a hole and dropping into it. When he comes out they're at the arctic and he shoves Jack into the snow even as the water on the two of them, or what's left of it, begins to freeze. Jack shivered.

"Ahh..." The steam rises, meaning the snow is cooling Jack down. Shaking ice crystals off his fur, Bunny covers Jack in snow to hasten it. Jack rolls around in the drift, taking in the cold air; he sniffles a bit.

"I'm not hot anymore."

"G-good ta know. I'll s-see ya back at tha W-warren. I n-need ta warm up before I c-catch a cold." Bunny disappears down a tunnel again; not that he could catch a cold but he wasn’t a winter spirit... he and the cold didn’t get along well usually. Jack sighs.

"Hey wind!" The wind blew ice and snow at his face in response, the silent way of saying it was paying attention.

"Take me to Noah!" The wind swirls happily around Jack even as it whisks him off back to the Warren where Bunny is trying to calm down a concerned Noah. Jack walked into the hut in the Warren, opening the door... or more like walking through it since Noah busted it down.

"Dad." Noah catches sight of him from the archway that leads from the main room to the nest, he seems relieved.

"Hey." He sits by Noah, feeling his forehead as well.

"You’re a little warm."

"Well, I feel fine." He shrugs.

"Yeah, I should tell your mother that we're here." Bunny lends Jack his comm since the one Jack had was damaged and would need repairing.

"Honey we're all ok, Noah’s ok."

“I figured you were dear. I have faith in Bunny. He's good at what he does.”

"Thanks sheila." Jack shivered.

"How's Luke and um... how did he do what he did? I thought he had no powers."

“We're fine here dear, seems his twin unlocked some power Mother Nature left in him... takes after me with this little talent. Nothing as strong as he had when he was younger though. Guess Mother Nature didn't want to leave him completely defenseless so she just took the bulk of it and locked away a small portion.”

"Wow." Jack smiled.

"Well apparently he was never powerless," He looked at Noah. "as soon as we heal we're going home ok?"

“Alright. See you then.” She replies before the conversation is cut. Jack shivered.

"God, Noah... what happened to you? When did it take control?"

"Um... well..." Noah had to think on that one a moment, when HAD it taken control? Jack looked at him worriedly.

 

 

 

 

"Was it right after I left?"

"Kinda hard to say... most of what I remember is a blur really... I think it had to be sometime after you left..." Jack grunts in pain.

"Man, I really don't want to go to Father Time's sometimes." A vision came through.

"What's it this time?" Jack shivered, Bunny was taking Noah away from Jack... but why? _What’s going on? This seems to be in the next hour or so... Noah seems to be crying and screaming..._ He gasped, shivering and shaking.

"Um... I.. I don't know, must be a dud vision."

"I donno about that mate. Come on now." Bunny settles down, his gaze gentle like trying to coax a scared animal out of hiding.

"Bunny's right dad. You look whiter than snow."

"I'm fine really it was just a vision of you going to bed that's it." _My skin is really whiter than snow..._ Bunny frowned, but didn't press the issue. Noah on the other hand merely crossed his arms while Bunny left the room. his expression clearly saying he didn't buy a word of it.

"What?" Jack looked at him, worried; in his mind he was worried to why was Bunny doing that, why was Noah screaming and crying?

"You know what. Dad, it's a little too obvious when you lie. I donno if Bunny can tell but I sure can."

"Lying? What, I would never lie." He sighs heavily.

"Daaaaad..." Jack held his head.

"No." He hid under the covers and pillow. Noah doesn't protest, he wordlessly puts a hand on Jack’s shoulder. He doesn't know what the vision is, but he knows it can't be good; especially not when Jamie appears and gently picks Jack up, blanket and all while murmuring reassurances along the bond.

"Jamie what are you doing?" He struggles in the blanket.

"What’s going on?" Jamie shifts so that Jack can poke his head out of the blankets while he gives Noah a look and Noah sighs.

"Okay, yeah... fine..." He gets up and leaves the room.

"What’s going on?" He looks around looking like a baby kangaroo poking its head out of a pouch.

“Jamie?”

"That's what I'd like to know. You've got Noah worried and I could sense your distress." He murmured softly.

"I'm fine." His head disappeared back beneath the blanket cocoon. Cecil spoke to Jamie directly over the bond without Jack knowing.

 _"Jack had another future vision and it was quite disturbing I'll show you."_ Jamie got the vision instantly, on closer inspection something was wrong with Jack and Bunny was pulling Noah away, screaming and crying.

"Hmmmm." It's all Jamie says, though he sends gratitude over the bond to Cecil. Jack stayed in the blankets, shivering. Jamie runs one hand along his back in a soothing gesture as he tried to see if he could fret out what the vision meant. A very subtle probe, buried beneath his sending reassurance and love along the bond. Jack quivered, he didn't know what the vision meant; all he knew was it was bad. The vision repeatedly attacked throughout the day, it hurt terribly; meaning each second it was closer to coming true.

Jamie kept close and after a quiet conversation with Bunny, Noah was sent to recuperate back at the castle; Jamie had no more of an idea of what it meant than anyone else did though after a moment he tried contacting Cecil over the bond, asking if he knew anything. Cecil was pretty sure it had something to do with a wound but that's all he felt, or sensed, through the vision. Jack whimpered, there was a wound somewhere; it was infected. Jamie frowns at that, recalling the battle, but he didn't remember seeing blood off anyone... well, except himself from when he'd been slammed about... but Mysterie had healed him of those. Was it likely it had been overlooked as something minor?

 

 

 

 

With that in mind, Jamie gently sent his light over Jack, a gentle, comforting warmth that would also let him know if he found even the tiniest of cuts. It was within, it was like a purple poison; apparently as a last act from the fearling, it had poisoned Jack and given him a seed. Jamie eventually noticed it, the thing was... he wasn't sure what it was or how to remove it...

"BUNNY!" Bunny comes loping in.

"What's up mate?"

"We have a problem... a REAL strange one..." Jack held his middle in pain; struggling to breathe somewhat; he was really hot, boiling hot.

“What’s going on Jamie, what’s wrong?" Jamie didn't bother leaving the room for this conversation

"What's the problem?"

"A baby Fearling."

"A.... WHAT?!" Bunny's jaw dropped.

"Yeah... nice little going away present from the first one. Any idea how to remove it?"

"Um... well... I MIGHT have a way... though this is gonna hurt something fierce..."

"Let's just get it out." Jack wondered what was going on suddenly he felt a fiery pain in his abdomen, the heat increased tenfold and he cried out. It was like something was trying to scratch its why out of his stomach. Bunny nodded and placed his hands on his.

"This will hurt mate... your magic and mine don't like each other is why... but it's the only way..." Bunny's magic surged over Jack and just as he said, Jack's tried to fight back until the two ended up mingling together around the thing and pulling it out in what looked like a makeshift bubble of ice etched into leaf patterns. It was quick, but far from painless and Bunny grabbed at the thing even as he fell back on his haunches, panting a little.

"C-crickey... a-ain't had t-to do t-that in a-ages..." Jack had screamed the entire time; now he is a shaking, pained mess on the floor; the baby fearling was angry at being pulled from its makeshift mother. Jack cried, shivering.

"WHAT WAS THAT!?!"

"M-makeshift w-womb... f-fer e-emergencies. N-not all s-spirits are comparable in this."  Bunny replied, still trying to catch his breath, it had taken a lot out of him just to make the thing.

"T-That was inside me." Eyes wide in fear Jack held his stomach from where it once was, looking at himself and back to the bubble. He shivered, vomiting in a trash can nearby and quaking in pain and sickness.

"Yeah. That's what that vision was about." Jamie mutters, staring at the ice orb... thing.

"Well... what's INSIDE this thing was..." Bunny replies.

"Should we kill it?" Jack looks at it, it looked about as harmless as it was, but without a proper host or source of food it would die off.

"Ain't that easy mate... see... it mighta been inside ya... but that don' mean it didn' have a host... that thing used Noah's power ta make another spirit for tha baby Fearlin' ta inhabit... granted... it won't have nothin' ta feed off of until the little spirit takes form in a few days... but by then the little Fearlin’ will have starved."

"Wait... what?" He looked at Bunny.

"W-what does that mean? JAMIE WHAT IS HE TALKING ABOUT!!" He yelled, unsure. Jamie paled.

"Oh gods...."

"Er... yeah..."

"What?" He looked at them worriedly.

"What’s going on?”

"Um Bunny.... could you..."

"Yeah mate. No problem. I'll just... er... take this with me."  Bunny hops out of the room with the orb.


	20. Prodigy

"There is no way to put this gently..." Jamie begins a moment after Bunny is gone.

"That Fearling basically stole something from Noah, when it had control of him and essentially put it in you... like when you had Randy and Luke... That... thing... it's Noah's child... but your's too." Jamie rubbed his temples... God but this was messed up... on SO many levels...

"W-Wait you mean it.. it..." Jack screamed so loud the whole Warren echoed with the sound; it would later be recorded in history as the “scream heard round the world.” Jamie clamped his hands over his ears, but he didn't blame Jack one bit... meanwhile, the rest of the family who heard it over the bond were wincing and wondering what under the Moon was going on that would cause Jack to scream like THAT...

"THAT CREATURE IMPREGNATED MY SON AND THEN ME WITH ITS SEED!!” Jack screamed again, this time even Pitch heard the scream.

"Jack... please... stop screaming so loud... We don't need the whole planet knowing."

 

Pitch winced at the volume... now what the hell was that all about? something about impregnating someone?

 

In the ice castle the group cringes again. Noah blanched.

"W-w-what..." Noah croaks out, eyes wide even as Bunny arrives at the castle with the orb, rubbing his ears as the thing floats in front of him.

"Geez Jackie..."

 

Jack winced, his body hurt from screaming and from harboring the seed. Jamie sighs a little, doing what he can to soothe Jack's throat from all that screaming...

"Why... how... why Noah?" He cried hard into his hands; remembering the fearling he growled.

"THIS IS FATHER TIME’S FAULT!!" He stood up, instantly seeing red and the tears froze, ceasing to fall.

"IF HE FUCKING DIDN'T SEND ME BACK IN TIME FOR THAT FEARLING TO TAKE HOLD OF ME AND THEN NOAH NONE OF THIS WOULD EVER HAPPEN!!"

"Yeah... but there's always a reason to what Father Time does. Calm down, there's probably a reason that child has come to be. A reason we can't know of because... well... it hasn't happened yet." Jack shivered.

"Something that hasn't come to be my ASS!!" He growled, Jack was angry... furious this happened.

"I'M KILLING THE BASTARD!!" He ran out of the Warren.

"Jack wait!" Jamie runs after Jack.

 

Noah stares at the glowing orb he holds between his hands.

"S-so... i-it's... mine...." For once, he finds himself quite literally unable to say much more rather than because he chooses not to speak. The little life inside stirs in the bubble kicking the bubble every now and then. Noah wraps his arms around the bubble protectively, bonding with the new life inside that gently pushes around the bubble like it was kicking. It would be another few days before it would actually take a physical form. Though it couldn’t see him, it could sense him and the life pulsed inside in response.

 

At the Time Palace there was a crash.

"WHERE IS FATHER TIME!?!" Father Time was waiting for Jack, patient as always.

"Really Jack, you could use the front door like everyone else."

"IT’S YOUR FAULT NOAH'S IN THIS MESS!!" He grabbed the man by his robes, lifting him up in anger.

"IF YOU HADN'T MOTHER FUCKING SENT ME BACK IN TIME I NEVER WOULD HAVE BROUGHT THAT FEARLING BACK DAMN IT!!" He glared hatefully at Father Time in pure anger; vines already creeping up around the man’s staff. He simply stopped the vines.

 

 

 

 

"Yes, yes... I'm well aware of that. I knew you'd bring it back, that I would have to deal with it, but considering what you don't know I figured you'd rather deal with what you have now than the alternative. Which would be to plan a funeral."

"A what?" Jack glared at him.

"What are you talking about?" He growled, fire blazing in his eyes and burning the man’s robes a little.

 

The little life in a bubble was shaking more and more it was glowing a bright blue it was showing what was going on in Father Time’s home with Jack, like a magic ball of some sort; it looked like Jack was about to snap the old man’s neck. Noah wonders how this is possible... was his child some sort of progeny?

 

"It's very simple. Your genius of a son got too nosy. He found the abandoned lab in the amazon. The very same one you became acquainted with thanks to a certain doctor as I'm sure you remember. In doing so, he exposed himself to what was there. Naturally, it was already killing the vegetation nearby and would have eventually meant his death as well if it weren't for the Fearling. The creature's make up takes over its host so completely that anything foreign to the host is expelled. A very peculiar but - in this case - useful thing. Had it not happened, you would be spending today wondering why your son, who had been perfectly healthy about twenty-four hours ago, suddenly seemed to begin to look like he hadn't been eating. The chemicals would have eaten the boy alive from the inside out and there would have been nothing anyone could do about it."

"What?!" He growled.

"This... this can't... I..." Jack glared at Father Time, the orb shook red; meaning bad, stop Jack now. It even warned Noah over the newly formed bond of what he was going to do. Jack was going to break the time staff and kill Father Time with it. Jamie grabbed Jack before he could even think of anything and teleported them instantly to the first place that came to his mind.... Mt. Everest. Jack shook in fear.

"WHAT THE HELL JAMIE!!" He shouted angrily, causing some avalanches on the mountain sides, accidentally killing many animals. He glared.

"Why did you do that!"

"Why do you think? Jack, do you really think you could just take him on? You couldn't even fight off a Fearling and he dealt with it like it was peanuts!"

"Jamie I'm warning you right now, stay out of my fucking way next time." Mother-fatherly instincts kicked in as he felt a sudden sense of calm come over him. It was the unborn child, after all he was the father of it still. Jamie sighs.

"Yell all you like at me, but I'm not going to explain to our children why they're missing a parent." Jack winced then collapsed. Jamie catches Jack, taking him back to the ice palace to recuperate while Bunny stares at the orb like he's never seen it before.

"Neva seen one do that... "

 

The orb stopped glowing and there was a faint sense of laughter to it. Noah sighs.

"I hope you don't end up being like Luke...." It kicked and kicked, it was hungry for food, which made Noah want to eat too. Noah felt a little hungry, which figured as he hadn't had breakfast yet.

"Hey, Bunny, can I get some breakfast?"

"Sure thing. Hungry fer anything in particular?"

 

Jack winced, shivering when he woke up in one of the rooms of the ice castle.

"Ugh, my head... what happened, where am I?" He looked around, suddenly feeling a little hungry.

 

 

 

 

Jamie holds a bit of cheese to Jack with a slight smile, wasn't often he had a chance to feed his love. Jack eats the cheese happily.

"Mmm."

 

Bunny comes back with the requested items.

"How do ya like that... seems that thing is in tune with ya... ain't never seen nuthin' like it..." The orb glows a solid green, meaning it was happy but a sense of sadness came over both Jack and Noah; it missed Jack and wanted its father to be close too.

"Do you think that means it will be a light spirit?" Noah asked, Bunny shrugged.

"Too early ta tell mate... anyway... I'd best let the others know about the new little one... but um... I'll keep quiet about how it came about. Although with yer father's yell I'd be surprised if half tha spirit world don't know already." Noah nods, eating his egg and cheese sandwich. Noah chuckles a little and calls over the bond to Jack.

 _"Someone's missin' you pop."_ Jack sighed and looked over at Jamie.

“What happened?” Jamie didn’t have time to reply before Jack spoke up again.

"Aww, I... uh guess I could visit little bundle of joy." He looked at Jamie.

"Jamie, um... I'll apologize to Father Time when I see him again; right now let’s go see our grandchild." It seemed that Jack had forgotten the entire ordeal... Jamie smiles a little.

"Yeah, we should." He picks Jack up, carrying him to the room, making Jack carry the plate of food that is breakfast as he does. Noah chuckles as Jack enters the room with Jamie.

"Look at this, the orb glows with its moods... it's like a freakin' mood ring for the kid." Jamie sets Jack down near the orb.

"Now that is something son." Jack looked at the little life, it kicked its way towards him, sort of; Jack smiled.

"It’s amazing." He still remembered the time he had Randy and Luke; he’d hated them for a while but they were his kids. Noah keeps the orb from floating to close so Jamie can continue to feed Jack.

"Definitely hooked on you, look at that." Jamie chuckles a little.

"Well, what's not to like?" Jack blushed, the orb rammed into his nuts suddenly; Jack squealed and went down like a sack of potatoes, falling over on his side as the orb glowed pink, as if to say ‘I love you.’ Noah grabs the orb tightly this time to keep it from doing that again.

"Yeah, well you have an odd way of showing it. Don't do that again." Noah gently admonishes the growing child as Jamie does what he can to ease the pain before going back to feeding Jack breakfast when he sits up again.  

"Hey, did you eat your breakfast Noah?" The orb was blue and suddenly it was like a magnet. Jack slammed into Noah with the orb between them.

"Noah, are you ok?" Jack grunted as the orb glowed pink again.

"What the... DON'T do that..." Noah says to the orb then looks over at Jack.

"Yeah, I ate a little while ago." Jack nods the orb only gives Noah a sassy feeling followed by the felling of a raspberry to him.

"Woah, he's um... very rebellious for such a young age don't you think son? Of course that would be since you’re a teenager!!" The orb glowed pink, rolling near Jack’s stomach. Noah rolls his eyes and yanks the orb back before it slams into Jack again.

"Only compared to you."

"Yeah but um... nevermind." The orb starts to glow red, trying to burn Noah to get him to let go of it. Noah doesn't notice the heat though he does notice it's glowing red.

"Now none of that, I'm not going to let you just beat him up just 'cause you want to be close. You just sit tight now."

 

 

 

 

A sense of a glare is aimed Noah’s way.

"Why do my children want to be so damn close to me?" He looked at Noah, confused as he felt a sudden wave of nausea come over him.

"Oh God, I got to find a bathroom like now!" Jamie lead Jack to the nearest bathroom. Noah wonders what was wrong but holds the orb to keep it from following. Jack threw up everything he had.

"Oh God, I remember this... I hated this part of pregnancy!!"

"I thought Bunny made it self-sustaining!" Noah calls out, wondering why in the world there would be any effects if it was self-sustaining.... well, that sucked for his dad. Jamie gently rubs Jack’s back.

"Great, I'm the one that has to take all of Noah’s pain." He was happy to do it though so his son would be happy and healthy.

"Hmmmm, wonder if Bunny can fix that little detail. No reason you should have to go through this again, especially under the circumstances." Jamie murmurs, slipping his comm from one pocket. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had real cause to use it honestly as he hit the egg-shaped button that would contact the lagomorph.

"Yeah I guess so." The orb glows green as it seems to try something. Noah quirks an eyebrow at the orb, not affected by the fledgling powers as he holds it close.

"I donno WHAT you're trying to do but you're staying right here little one." Jamie talks to Bunny about the problem.

"That's odd... I'll be over in a tick ta see what I kan do."

"Thanks Bunny.” Suddenly everything glowed white around Jack and he yelped.

"What’s going on?!" The orb disappeared from Noah and reappeared behind Jack.

"AHH! IT’S TRYING TO KILL ME!!" It glowed pink as if to say ‘come back!!’ Noah gets up and grabs the orb, placing a few spells on it to keep it from teleporting again.

"Geez, this kid really IS stuck on you..."

"Why me? I thought it’d be attached to Noah." He looked at Noah strangely. Noah shrugs a little, he hadn't been affected by the memory wipe but he didn't know why it preferred Jack either.

"I think you're just a kid magnet hun." Jamie replies even as Bunny hops through the door.

"Here now, let me see tha orb and I'll see what I c'n do." Noah passes the orb to Bunny who gently probes the thing with his magic. The baby didn't like that, it slammed Bunny into a pillar angrily, but it was done. Jack didn't feel the effects as much anymore, the orb wasn't happy.

"Hey, maybe some down time will make it happy Noah. Let’s go pick out some books huh?"

"Geez... powerful little tyke..." Bunny said as he recovered from the blow.

"Anyway, it should be completely self-sufficient now."

"Maybe so." Noah tucked the orb under one arm and headed off the library to find some books he remembered from his childhood. Jack smiled, sitting with him and picking out a few from his own.

"This one I read to you all the time." It was the little peter rabbit tale. Noah smiles.

"Yeah... I remember, that was one of my favorites."

"And so will it be his too I bet. Any names you want to call it?"

"I haven't really thought about it... since I'm not sure if it's a boy or not. I mean... you'd think so the way the orb acts... but it could be a girl too... I was thinking of Calista if it's a girl and if it's a boy... Rory."

"Beautiful names son." Jack looked at the orb, it was glowing a dull pink as if it were sleeping.

"Well, looks like the orb doesn't mind." Noah chuckled a little.


End file.
